Toddler's father sentenced to life for his murder

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- A northwest Missouri man was sentenced to life in prison for beating and kicking his 2-year-old son to death last year.

Isaiah Washington Sr. 19, was sentenced Monday in Buchanan County Circuit Court, where he was convicted in September of second-degree murder.

Isaiah Washington Jr. died in October 2001 at a hospital in Cameron.

His mother, Brandy Burrell, was sentenced last month to life -- with the possibility of parole after 25 years.

-- for second-degree murder and endangering the life of a child.

In that case, prosecutors said she did nothing to stop her son's fatal beating.

In court Monday, defense attorneys asked for a 10-year sentence for the elder Washington, who they said is mildly mentally retarded and didn't intend to kill his son.

Burrell's family was pleased with the life sentence for Washington.

"He deserved more than that," said Betty Maupins, Burrell's great aunt. "He deserved death as far as I'm concerned."