22 years in death of infant son

A 28-year-old Elgin man was sentenced to 22 years in prison Friday for his role in the death of his month-old son in 2004.

Rudell Ferguson pleaded guilty to aggravated battery to a child, a felony that carried six to 30 years in prison. In exchange for the plea, Kane County prosecutors dropped a first-degree murder charge against Ferguson that carried up to 60 years behind bars.

Ferguson had been held at the Kane County jail on $2 million bail since his arrest in September 2004. He will receive about three years credit toward his sentence, of which he must serve 85 percent.

On Sept. 3, Elijah Ferguson was found unconscious in an apartment at 861 W. Highland Ave. He later died of head and brain injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

At the time, Ferguson also had an outstanding arrest warrant for domestic battery.

Assistant State's Attorney Pam Monaco said Ferguson made several videotaped statements to Elgin police, first claiming his son fell out of a wash chair and hit his head and later that Ferguson tripped while giving the infant a bath, causing the baby to hit his head.

Ferguson also had two felony convictions for burglary, two for aggravated battery and one misdemeanor conviction for domestic battery, Monaco said.