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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A New York father pleaded guilty last week to first-degree murder in the February killing of his toddler daughter.
It was an emotional scene inside Onondaga County Court this morning as Ryan Lawrence pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the death of his daughter Maddox, nearly 7 months after her disappearance and death.
Posted by CNYcentral.com on Thursday, September 15, 2016
>> Watch video from the courtroom here
According to WRGB-TV, prosecutors said Ryan Lawrence, 25, hit his 21-month-old daughter, Maddox, with a baseball bat because of all the attention she was getting for surviving eye cancer.
Lawrence admitted to burning Maddox's body for several hours in a fire pit, then dumping her remains in a nearby creek, Syracuse.com reported.
>> See another video from the courtroom
Watch: Ryan Lawrence admits killing Baby Maddox in emotional court appearance https://t.co/Oi1HuFs8fw
— syracuse.com (@syracusedotcom) September 15, 2016
Lawrence is expected to get a sentence of 25 years to life as part of his plea in Onondaga County Court.
Maddox’ family agreed to the plea deal, which requires Lawrence to go before a parole board after serving 25 years.
LIVE on CBS5 at 5:30.
— Michael Benny (@MichaelBenny) September 15, 2016
Attorney Michael Vavonese, who represents Ryan Lawrence who killed his daughter Maddox. pic.twitter.com/oW7sEBwKVo
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