New York horror: Frustrated dad kills 16-month-old son by slamming him into crib: ‘His spinal column came out in pieces’

New York father pleads guilty to manslaughter after killing 16-month-old son by slamming him into a crib.

Published on: Feb 23, 2026, 19:35:14 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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A father from New York killed his 16-month-old son by forcefully slamming him into a Pack-and-Play portable crib, resulting in a severed spine.

Matthew Nuttall pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter(Image: Jamestown police)

Matthew Nuttall entered a guilty plea for first-degree manslaughter on Wednesday concerning the death of Isaac Benton in Jamestown, as announced by the Chautauqua County District Attorney's Office. The police initiated a probe into the 27-year-old dad on April 15, 2024, after receiving reports of a suspicious death that occurred in a Jamestown residence just two days before. Investigators determined that Isaac succumbed to blunt force trauma.

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Matthew Nuttall was frustrated with son's crying

According to a report from The Post-Journal, Nuttall was frustrated with his son's crying and he threw him into the portable crib, which caused a fatal spinal injury to the toddler,

While giving an update about the case, District Attorney Jason Schmidt said, "These are the cases which hit the hardest. Isaac, only 16 months old, slammed onto a Pack 'n Play with such force that his spinal column came out in pieces during the autopsy."

Probe into Isaac Benton's death

The Investigative Section of the Jamestown Police Department conducted a thorough and effective investigation into this incident, resulting in the arrest of Matthew E. Nuttall for First Degree Manslaughter, stated Jamestown Police Sergeant Daniel Overend.

First-degree manslaughter is classified as a Class B violent felony in the state of New York, carrying a minimum prison sentence of five years and a maximum of 25 years.

Matthew Nuttall's case hearing

Nutall was scheduled to stand trial on Tuesday. However, he unexpectedly entered a guilty plea during a pre-trial conference last week, according to the Chautauqua County District Attorney's Office.

Nutall is now set to be sentenced on April 20.

The toddler was born on December 6, 2022, in Buffalo. A funeral service will be held at Trinity Church, Frewsburg on April 19.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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