Cherokee County man gets 37-year sentence for abusing deaf toddler
Tyler James Esponge (Cherokee County Sheriffs Office)
CANTON, Ga. - A Cherokee County man was sentenced to 37 years, with 17 to serve in prison for abusing a 3-year-old deaf and nonverbal child.
Tyler James Esponge, 38, was convicted of cruelty to children in the first degree, aggravated battery, and battery in August. He was sentenced on Oct. 16.
In addition to prison and probation, Cherokee County Superior Court Judge Tony Baker ordered Esponge to be forbidden from having contact with the victim or any other child under the age of 18.
The abuse was first noticed on Feb. 10, 2021, when a nurse at Kennestone Hospital alerted authorities to possible abuse after treating the child, who suffered a buckle fracture to her right femur, bite marks on her shoulder and ankle, petechiae under her left arm, and bruises on her arms, legs, and right eye. Investigators with the Canton Police Department determined that the child had been left alone with Esponge while her mother was at work. Unable to verbally identify her abuser, the child’s case relied heavily on forensic evidence, which revealed male DNA in saliva found on the bite marks.
Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Hines of the Special Victims Unit highlighted the extent of the victim’s vulnerabilities. "This little girl was deaf, nonverbal, and completely reliant on others. Rather than protecting and caring for her, this defendant exploited her vulnerabilities and defenselessness," Hines said. "Fortunately, medical professionals recognized signs of child abuse and alerted law enforcement, saving her from further abuse."
A jury convicted Esponge on all charges after a three-day trial. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Esponge had a history of abusing the young girl over the previous two years and had committed child abuse over a decade ago involving a different child. The case featured testimony from 10 witnesses, including law enforcement officers, medical professionals, a forensic biologist, DFCS personnel, and a pediatric and child abuse expert. The prosecution also introduced 29 exhibits as evidence.
During sentencing, the State urged for a 40-year sentence with a minimum of 20 years to be served in prison, while the defense argued for probation with credit for time served. Judge Baker’s final sentence was a 37-year term, with 17 years in confinement followed by probation.
"This sentence protects the victim and all children from further abuse at the hands of this defendant," stated District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway. "It shocks the conscience to imagine the horrific abuse this innocent little girl suffered, made especially heinous when considering her inability to verbalize what was happening to her."
The case was investigated by the Canton Police Department and prosecuted by the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit’s Special Victims Unit, led by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Hines.