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An Albert Lea man was sentenced to 25 years in prison Wednesday for murdering a 2-year-old boy in July 2023 and injuring his 12-week-old brother.

Austin Michael Navarro, 26, in September pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Ahziyas Dampha on July 6, 2023, at Trailside Apartments. He also pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree assault of a victim under 4 tied to injuries caused to the baby.

District Court Judge Ross Leuning said he struggled when he reviewed the case, noting he had been in Navarro’s life for a while now with the current case and with others before.

Leuning said when Navarro was in trouble before, he did not follow through when things were put forward to help him such as drug and alcohol treatment and domestic abuse programming.

“All of those things could and would have made a difference,” Leuning said.

Before he turned to the sentence, the judge said he wished there were some comforting words he could say to the families that would make a difference and help them move forward.

He said he knows the loss of a child is something parents never get over, and it is a loss they carry with them every day.

He encouraged the parents of Ahziyas to seek assistance, counsel and support and asked for family and friends to be strong for them and help them in the days ahead. He also asked that the extended families of both sides have grace and patience with each another.

The sentence was in line with the plea agreement between the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office and the defense, which was outside of the state sentencing guideline range of 204 to 288 months with Navarro’s criminal history score.

The judge said there was overwhelming evidence supporting aggravating factors for the departure from the standard guidelines, including that Navarro was in a position of authority, that the child was particularly vulnerable and that he treated the boy with particular cruelty.

During the plea hearing, Navarro admitted to punching and kicking the 2-year-old child multiple times, and acknowledged that the boy’s injuries included rib fractures and lacerations to his liver and pancreas. He also admitted he had submerged the child in the bathtub.

Navarro was left as the caretaker of the children that day by their mother, who he was in a relationship at the time, and who had gone to work.

The 300-month sentence for the murder will be spent concurrently with a 32-month sentence for the assault charge of the infant, who was Navarro’s son. Navarro in his plea hearing admitted to hitting the baby in the stomach, leading to broken ribs. The baby also had bruises on his arm and shoulder.

While Leuning acknowledged that Navarro had been candid, direct and honest in accepting responsibility with the plea, he noted it was only a small measure in the scale of the case.

When given the opportunity to make a statement, Navarro read a short letter he had written, asking for forgiveness from all of the families.

“I know an apology is not enough and it will never be,” he said, noting that serving the prison time is all he can offer.

He said he was sorry for all the pain he caused and asked that God have mercy on his soul.

Navarro’s lawyer, Dominique Navarro, said the case is a tragic one in which nobody wins and one that brought with it a lot of collateral damage.

He referenced parts of the pre-sentence investigation his client had with a Department of Corrections agent and said he was cooperative and answered all of her questions.

The lawyer said his client lived a childhood much different than most do with a significant juvenile history dating back to 2011. He told the agent he first smoked marijuana and drank alcohol when he was 8, and by age 13 he had tried methamphetamine and cocaine.

Since he has been in jail, he has taken advantage of programming and has a goal to get his GED when he is in prison. The lawyer said there’s no explanation for his conduct, but noted that his client is remorseful. Austin Navarro also expressed a need for help with his mental health, telling the agent, “There are things up there that don’t click.”

Mary Russell with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, read aloud four victim impact statements from family of Ahziyas, including his mother.

They described how the child would light up any room with his smile and how the impact of his death is continuing.

She wrote that she has experienced grief, trauma and social withdrawals from what took place. She said her other son not only lost a brother that day, but he lost his father, too.

Russell said Sullivan spoke about Ahziyas’ beautiful future she had imagined and that his family is left mourning — not only for who he was but also for the idea of who he would become.

“It wasn’t just his life that was stolen in one cruel moment — but his entire future,” she said.