JOPLIN, Mo. — A Joplin man pleads guilty to the 2020 death of a 2-year-old boy.

Brian O’Grodnick, 25, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and four counts of child abuse. He waived his sentencing assessment and was immediately sentenced to life in prison on the murder charge with an additional one year on each of the four child abuse charges. Those sentences will run concurrently.

According to prosecutors, in Missouri life is calculated at 30 years. After he has served 85% of his sentence, which would be 25 1/2 years, O’Grodnick will be eligible for parole. That means O’Grodnick could be out of prison when he’s 50 years old.

He was scheduled to go to trial on Monday, November 6th.

On May 31st, 2020, Joplin police responded to a home where they found 2-year-old Jameson Long unconscious and not breathing. Medics took the toddler to Children’s Mercy in Kansas City.

Doctors found multiple injuries, including bruises, a rib fracture, and injuries to Jameson’s liver. Health professionals say the injuries were caused by blunt force trauma. The little boy died two days later.

O’Grodnick admitted to repeatedly hitting the boy in the head and abdomen.