Document text
By Anita Burke Mail Tribune October 27. 2014 4:40PM Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for brutal assault of toddler Matthew Karl Hyrup A Medford man accused of physically and sexually assaulting his 18-month-old stepson was sentenced to 25 years in prison after admitting that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him. Matthew Karl Hyrup, 29, pleaded no contest to first-degree assault and first-degree unlawful sexual penetration. Entered in Jackson County Circuit Court Oct. 23, the pleas, also known as Alford pleas, acknowledge that Hyrup believes there is evidence to convict him, Deputy District Attorney Terry Smith-Norton said. "It has the same legal effect as a conviction," she said. As part of the plea agreement, two counts of first-degree sodomy and an attempted-murder charge were dismissed. Hyrup was arrested Feb. 23, 2012, after his wife of only two weeks returned to their Columbus Avenue home to find her child injured. She had been away for about two hours, picking up two other people who also lived at the home, Smith-Norton said. Hyrup told the boy's mother that the child had choked on a piece of a diaper, then been injured when he tried to clear the airway. "The physical injuries didn't match what he said happened," Smith-Norton said. The boy had bruising all over his body, internal injuries and bleeding on his brain and his retinas, consistent with being struck and shaken. There was also physical damage and DNA evidence showing sexual abuse by Hyrup, Smith-Norton said. "I've been doing this 10 years and this is the worst case I've seen," she said. "In preparing for trial, even 2½ years later, first responders and care providers at Rogue Regional Medical Center remembered this case and were emotional." The boy was airlifted to Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland for further treatment, ultimately spending nearly a month hospitalized in Portland, before being released into the care of a family member. The child, who still has lasting damage from the traumatic brain injury, has been adopted by members of his extended family. Smith-Norton said in securing a plea in a case such as this or going to trial, prosecutors must balance the feelings of the victim and family, community safety and consequences for the perpetrator. In addition to the prison sentence, Hyrup was ordered to pay nearly $39,850 in restitution for the child's medical expenses that weren't covered by insurance. He also must register as a sex offender. http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20141027/NEWS/141029680 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->