Man draws 44 years in beating death of toddler son

EDWARDSVILLE -- A Madison County judge has handed down a 44-year prison sentence against an East Alton man who beat his toddler son to death for eating chips in bed.

At the sentencing Tuesday, Associate Judge James Hackett also gave a tongue-lashing to the child's mother, who reportedly went out looking for drugs with the defendant's girlfriend while the child was dying.

The defendant, 24-year-old Johnny Garcia, received the sentence in the death in December 2007 of his son, Maxwell Eyer. As part of deal with prosecutors, Garcia had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in exchange for prosecutors agreeing to seek no more than 50 years in prison.

The mother, 25-year-old Linsey Eyer, testified against Garcia at his sentencing. She, too, has been charged with first-degree murder and is awaiting trial.