BRISTOL BOROUGH, Pa. — A Pennsylvania man is facing a lengthy prison sentence after pleading guilty to killing his 4-month-old son by violently shaking him on multiple occasions. Tyler Sullivan, 31, of Bristol Borough, admitted to charges of third-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child in a case that has shocked the local community.
Sullivan’s plea, entered before Common Pleas Judge Gary B. Gilman on May 29, 2024, followed a tragic incident on May 24, 2023, when officers from the Bristol Borough Police Department were called to 1038 Radcliffe Street for a report of a child in cardiac arrest. Upon arrival at 11:35 p.m., officers found the infant unresponsive and cold to the touch. Despite efforts to revive him, the baby was pronounced dead at 12:01 a.m. at Lower Bucks Hospital.
A medical examination revealed that the infant had suffered multiple injuries, including contusions, bruising, and abrasions consistent with severe physical abuse. Investigators determined that Sullivan had shaken the child at least twice on the day of his death and at least six times in the six weeks prior.
Following his guilty plea, Sullivan was sentenced on August 27. The exact length of his prison term has not been disclosed, but it is expected to span several years, with the possibility of decades behind bars.
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, in a press release, underscored the gravity of Sullivan’s actions, noting that his guilty plea avoided a trial but did not lessen the severity of the crime. “This was a horrific case of child abuse that ended in the most tragic way possible,” the statement read.
The case has prompted renewed calls for greater awareness and prevention of child abuse, with local officials urging the community to be vigilant in reporting signs of mistreatment.
