Man guilty of killing Azusa toddler with up to 21 blows to the head
A man was convicted Tuesday of killing his girlfriend’s 16-month-old son by striking him on the head up to 21 times.
Stephen Douglas Hoffman, 24, was found guilty of second-degree murder and assault on a child causing death, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.
Jurors, who heard testimony from coroner’s officials that Malaikye Payne suffered as many as 21 blows to his head, deliberated for about 4½ hours before returning their guilty verdict.
Hoffman, who is scheduled to be sentenced April 4, faces up to 25 years to life in state prison.
The attack occurred while he was babysitting Malaikye, his girlfriend’s son, on Aug. 13, 2011, while she worked an overnight shift. At about 2:20 a.m., he texted her a picture of the toddler with a bruise on his face, telling her Malaikye fell off the bed and onto a toy.
Malaikye’s mother arrived at the Azusa home and went to bed at 6 a.m., prosecutors said. About three hours later, Hoffman told her Malaikye was having difficulty breathing and she called 911.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Taraneh Saba said Malaikye was dead when he arrived at the hospital and was taken off a ventilator two days later. Doctors testified that it was one of the worst injuries they had seen on a child.
Hoffman was arrested seven months later in connection with the death after changing his story and saying the toddler was jumping on the bed and fell to the floor.
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