Blake Bates, of Marion, was sentenced after pleading guilty earlier this month to involuntary manslaughter stemming from the April 28, 2024 incident. According to Marion County Prosecutor Raymond Grogan, Bates was sentenced to a term exceeding five years, which also accounted for additional charges of strangulation and escape from a separate incident.
The attack occurred at Bates’ Miami Street home when he reportedly left his aggressive pit bull near the unsupervised infant, Royal Bates. Authorities stated that Bates and co-defendant Alyssa Smith, who lived at the residence, left the infant in the care of another young child. The dog attacked the infant’s head, and the child was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to Marion General Hospital. The aggressive dog was seized and euthanized immediately following the attack.
The prosecution revealed that Bates had previously ignored warnings about the dog’s aggression, including a prior attack on a neighborhood child, and failed to take adequate precautions to secure the animal.
Co-Defendant Sentenced to Three Years
The infant’s mother and Bates’ co-defendant, Alyssa Smith, previously pleaded guilty to one count of child endangering in connection with the same incident. Smith received a maximum sentence of three years in prison earlier this month.
Prosecutor Grogan emphasized that the sentences were necessary to hold both individuals accountable for their negligence.
“No family should endure this pain, but today’s sentence honors Royal and protects Marion from criminals like Bates,” Grogan said in a statement. “We’ll keep pursuing justice to safeguard our kids.”
