TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a jury convicted him in the "gruesome beating" death of his girlfriend's baby, according to the State Attorney's Office.
Enrico Adams was found guilty of first-degree murder for the deadly December 2019 beating. The office says the jury in a trial last summer couldn't agree on a verdict, resulting in the need for a second trial.
Adams was "successfully" proven to be responsible for killing the 17-month-old baby while Adams' girlfriend took her other children to the laundromat.
The baby's mother's testimony reportedly recounted the moments she found her child unresponsive in their crib after being left alone for several hours with Adams. Video evidence reportedly showed Adams outside the apartment frustrated and "roughly" handling the baby as he walked back inside the home.
Before the baby's mother left for the laundromat with her other children, the baby was acting and playing "normally." An autopsy later showed the baby died as a result of blunt force trauma.
While Adams won't be formally sentenced until Oct. 25, the state attorney's office says he faces a mandatory life sentence for his first-degree murder conviction.
“It is difficult to comprehend how anyone could harm a defenseless, innocent child. I am proud of our prosecution team for ensuring this monster will live the rest of his life in prison thinking about the life he viciously stole. My heart is with the victim’s mother and family as they process their unimaginable grief,” State Attorney Suzy Lopez said in a statement.