John White convicted for 2nd time in death of toddler
A man in Weld County has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the death of a toddler in 2015. John White was convicted for a second time on Tuesday of abusing and murdering a 2-year-old boy.
In 2016, White was convicted of first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death for killing his girlfriend's toddler in May 2015. That conviction was overturned by the Colorado Court of Appeals in October 2020 because of legal issues with the 2016 trial.
The Colorado Supreme Court did not review the decision by the court of appeals.
The victim, Michael "Mikey" Lara, died after suffering severe injuries, including bruises to his head and back, burns to his face and neck caused by a hair dryer, and other injuries. White was dating Mikey's mother at the time.
He was babysitting the toddler while Mikey's mom was at work. White claimed the family's pitbull knocked the boy down the mobile home's porch steps.
According to the Weld County District Attorney's Office, medical examinations pointed to severe trauma that could not be associated with the fall. Toxicology reports also showed White was high on methamphetamine while babysitting Mikey.
After another trial, a new Weld County jury convicted White again on Tuesday afternoon on first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death.
"Twenty-four people from our community, across two jury trials, have now confirmed what we've always argued was the truth. That this defendant killed Mikey and that this was not an accident," Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wrenn said at the sentencing hearing immediately following the verdict Tuesday afternoon.
In addition to the mandatory life without parole sentence, the judge also sentenced White to the maximum sentence of 48 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for the child abuse resulting in death charge.
