An Albany man聽was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading no contest to manslaughter in the death of his 5-year-old son, who prosecutors say he and his then-girlfriend beat and starved before his death in 2023.
Joseph Eslinger was charged after his son, Leo, died in a New Orleans hospital on New Year鈥檚 Eve 2023. The boy died three days after he was found unresponsive at Eslinger鈥檚 home, according to court records. Prosecutors alleged that Leo was starved and repeatedly beaten, with fists and charging cords.
An autopsy report determined Leo鈥檚 death to have been a homicide. He suffered multiple brain bleeds, was malnourished and had bruises and laceration marks covering his body 鈥� including on his face 鈥� said Amanda Liotto, the assistant district attorney for the 21st Judicial District who prosecuted the case.
鈥淎s a prosecutor and a mother, the loss of this precious five-year-old child weighs heavily on my heart,鈥� Liotto said. 鈥淗is life mattered, and there should have been so much more of it 鈥� more birthdays, first days of school, and memories with those who loved him.鈥�
Eslinger, 29, and his then-girlfriend, Diana Lopez, 29, both actively participated in the abuse, Liotto said. Prosecutors believe Leo was singled out because the couple thought he was different from his younger siblings, who were 3 years old and 10 months old at the time. Leo鈥檚 siblings were not subject to the physical abuse inflicted upon their older brother.
In an interview with detectives the night of his arrest, Eslinger said Leo had recently been sick and refused to talk or eat. Eslinger did not seek medical attention because he believed the boy was 鈥渕entally manifesting these symptoms and he wasn鈥檛 really sick,鈥� according to his probable cause affidavit.
Law enforcement discovered Leo after being dispatched to the Albany home in response to a report of a child who was not breathing, according to court filings.
Eslinger was initially indicted on a first-degree murder charge, which carries a potential sentence of life in prison. His 40-year sentence is the maximum for a manslaughter charge, according to Liotto. Eslinger is also expected to plead guilty to an obstruction of justice charge in November, which will likely carry an additional five-year sentence.
During Monday鈥檚 court proceedings, Eslinger鈥檚 mother and aunt, who now care for Leo鈥檚 younger siblings, delivered statements about the impact the case has had on their whole family, including Leo鈥檚 siblings. His mother spoke about the flowers Leo would often pick for her.
Eslinger also apologized in court for what happened and said he hoped his family could forgive him, according to his defense attorney, LaToia Williams-Simon.
Lopez, who was also charged with first-degree murder in connection to Leo鈥檚 death, is scheduled to have her next court hearing in November.