RIPLEY, W.Va. — The Jackson County man who sexually assaulted a 10-month-old girl causing her death is going to prison for the rest of his life.
Benjamin Taylor, of Cottageville, was sentenced Thursday afternoon in Jackson County Circuit Court to life in prison with no chance for parole for the 2016 attack and death of Emmaleigh Barringer.
Jackson County Circuit Judge Craig Tatterson told Taylor it was one of the worst crimes he had ever seen.
A jury convicted Taylor last month on charges of first degree murder, death of a child by abuse and child abuse by a guardian. Tatterson gave Taylor the maximum sentence on each conviction and ordered the sentences run consecutively.
Taylor raped Barringer back in October 2016 in the Fairplain apartment he shared with her mother, Amanda Adkins, who was his girlfriend at the time. Adkins found Taylor over his daughter the night of the crime. The young girl was severely bleeding.
Jackson County Prosecutor Katie Franklin told the judge Thursday Taylor has never shown any remorse. She said he didn’t cry when he spoke to authorities the night of the attack but he cried the day he was convicted. Taylor chose not to speak during Thursday’s sentencing.
Emmaleigh’s grandmother, Michelle Grunes, made an emotional statement Thursday saying all the family has left are their memories with Emmaleigh. She showed the court a mold of her granddaughter’s footprints that was made by the funeral home.
Taylor, who kept his head down during the 17-minute sentencing hearing, testified during the trial that he didn’t remember what happened the night in question. His attorney Tim Rosinsky said there would be an appeal of the case to the state Supreme Court.