Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.

The man facing prison time for abusing the 4-year-old Tyahni Williams was in a wheelchair and unable to speak.

A collective sigh of relief came from half the courtroom Monday as a judge sentenced Demarcus Johnson to 25 years for shattering the girl's skull so badly it looked like puzzle pieces. The daughter of Johnson's girlfriend was just three months old when she was left in his care.

Emotions were strong in the other half of the courtroom as the judge issued the sentence. Johnson's partner and the mother of his child ran to the door crying. Johnson stared blankly as Sabella announced his sentence. He was found guilty of child abuse with bodily harm.

The mother said that her daughter would never speak, cry or laugh again. She suffers from daily seizures. To know whether the girl is hungry, hurt, or happy, her mother must learn what she means with the different sounds she makes.

She will never be able to play with her brother, swing or pick out nail polish because of you, according to the judge.

Williams left her with Johnson at a home on E 122nd Avenue in North Tampa so she could go to work. It was July 13 of last year.

An arrest affidavit said that when Williams came home, she found the baby unresponsive with her arms bent. The girl was flown by helicopter to the All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg for emergency surgery after being taken to a nearby hospital.

Ty survived despite having abusive head trauma. Johnson was taken into custody.

The girl's grandmother asked the judge to give the maximum punishment allowed. She said that she will never watch her granddaughter become a cheerleader like her mother, or even do something as simple as sharing a bowl of cereals with her.

Since you showed no mercy on my granddaughter, I have to ask that the court show no mercy on you.

The judge said that Johnson's crime did not warrant the maximum sentence of 30 years because he had no previous record. The minimum sentence for Johnson's mother was 6 years.

I don't know what happened there and I feel bad for the baby, but I know who he is.

During his trial, Johnson said that he wasn't responsible for the injuries that Tyahni suffered. He didn't make a statement Monday.

If that was your daughter, you would want the maximum sentence.

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