EVERETT — An Everett man was sentenced to more than 10 years behind bars this afternoon for beating a 15-month-old boy under his care.
Matthew P. Christiansen, 32, admitted to attacking Eryk Woodruff in September while baby-sitting the boy. He was sentenced in a Snohomish County Superior Court hearing today.
The attack left Eryk with a broken jaw, rib fractures, a broken arm and a severe head injury that will require replacing part of his skull with a plastic cap, said his mother, Rachel Pierce.
Christiansen is the husband of a friend of Pierce. He wasn’t working and stayed home during the day baby-sitting his own two children. Pierce was in the middle of an internship and she let Christiansen baby-sit Eryk and his 3-year-old sister starting Sept. 6.
The abuse likely started that day, according to medical evidence. Just a week later, on Sept. 13, Christiansen’s wife called 911 when she found Eryk unconscious. Eryk was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Christiansen told medics several stories. One was that Eryk fell down some stairs. Another was that he accidentally dropped Eryk while chasing his own son.
A doctor told prosecutors that bruises found on Eryk were in highly unusual locations for a child that age. His head injury was likely caused by either blunt impact or shaking, doctors told authorities.
According to court documents, doctors said it is highly unlikely that all the injuries suffered by Eryk were caused by a fall down the stairs or by rough play.
In April, Christiansen pleaded guilty to first-degree assault of a child.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
