Man sentenced for injuring infant son

NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) - A North Tonawanda father who caused serious injuries to his baby son because he wouldn't stop crying learned his fate in court on Tuesday.

The little boy, "Jay-J," now lives with neurological damage and epileptic seizures. Before his father was sentenced Tuesday, the court got to hear the same emotional story Jay-J's family told News 4 over the weekend.

Family members wept quietly in court as Jay-J Bolvin's step-grandmother described the pain and suffering the little boy has endured, since being severely beaten by his father, Jeremy Bolvin, as an infant.

Tabitha Retzer said, "Jay-J spent the first, the first 16 months of his life having many seizures every day. On his worst day, he had nearly 200 seizures. During that time, a "good" day would have been "only" 20 or 30. Medicine has helped, but he's still not seizure-free."

Jeremy Bolvin pleaded guilty to felony and misdemeanor assault charges this spring, almost a year after Jay-J showed up at the hospital with 11 broken bones. In requesting the maximum possible sentence, Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Donatello pointed out that the only thing Bolvin has ever shown remorse for is having children in the first place.

"Jeremy refers to his children as "Oops 1," "Oops 2," and "Oops 3," and indicated that "Minus three kids, my life would be pretty great right now." I think that Ms. Retzer points out with absolute clarity that, minus the defendant, Jay-J's life would be pretty great right now," said Donatello.

Niagara County Judge Sara Sperrazza gave Bolvin the maximum -- one-and-a-third to four years in state prison -- and awarded a full order of protection to the family.

Retzer said, "It's hard. It's really hard to see somebody that you love struggle, when they didn't have to struggle. You know, it could've been different for [Jay-J]. It's really tough."

Jay-J takes five medications and is on a special diet to control his seizures; doctors do not believe he'll ever outgrow them.