Austin Meli, a Wall Township resident, already is serving a 10-year sentence for abusing his then 15-month-old son, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. The new sentence will be tacked onto the end of the existing one. 

On March 9, 2019, Wall Township Police Department responded to a residence in their jurisdiction regarding an unresponsive six-week-old infant. 

The investigation determined that the infant had been in the immediate care of Meli, her father, at the time she was found to be unresponsive. The child was pronounced deceased at Ocean Medical Center in Brick.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Meli had smothered the child in order to stop her from crying, resulting in the baby’s death by asphyxiation, Santiago said. 

The investigation was led by the Wall Township Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

“The defendant’s depraved actions caused this horrific tragedy and left other family members to mourn an immeasurable loss,” Santiago said. “While it is impossible to make this family whole, this plea deal and the subsequent sentence provides justice and closure for the victim’s family for such an unspeakable and heinous act.”

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