Caroline Ruth Boggs: Mother’s Boyfriend Sentenced After 21-Month-Old Girl Dies From Severe Brain Injuries

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Caroline Ruth Boggs, a 21-month-old girl in Indiana, died in 2024 after she suffered severe brain injuries while in the care of her mother’s boyfriend, 25-year-old Jesse Allen Sartin. 

Authorities said Sartin was the only adult with her when the incident happened in July 2024.

Caroline Boggs 


The sad incident reportedly took place on July 24, 2024, while Caroline was with Sartin as her mother was at work. 

According to Sartin, the child did not want to get out of the bath after her shower. He said she was crying and swinging her arms while he tried to lift her so he became upset during that moment.

He then admitted that he violently shook her for about 20 seconds to calm her down, as per Law&Crime. 

After the incident, Caroline became unresponsive so she was rushed to the hospital. 

When they got there, Sartin told medical staff she was injured after falling when a dog knocked her off an ottoman.

However doctors disagreed, and they said that the injuries did not match that explanation.

Medical experts later confirmed the injuries were caused by abusive head trauma, and they said that the swelling in her brain was so severe such that blood was coming through her ears.

Caroline was eventually taken to St. Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital and later airlifted to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital because of the severity of her condition.

Doctors later carried out emergency surgery on Caroline to reduce pressure in her brain and she placed on life support. But sadly, she died on August 1, 2024, and an autopsy ruled her death a homicide caused by abusive head trauma.

Jesse Allen Sartin 


After an extensive investigation, Sartin’s sole later admitted to shaking her violently after he first gave a false account of what happened.

Sartin eventually pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated battery resulting in death, and on March 27, 2026, a judge sentenced him to 35 years in prison followed by five years of probation. 

The court cited the child’s age, his role as her caregiver, the nature of the act, and his prior criminal history. The judge noted that he was on probation for another crime at the time and that he initially misled investigators.

As part of the sentence, Sartin is barred from having contact with minor children during his probation period.

In a statement, Dearborn-Ohio Counties Prosecutor Lynn Deddens said, “Caroline was a healthy, loved child who depended on adults to protect her. Instead, she suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of someone entrusted with her care while her mother was at work.”

Family members described Caroline as a “joyful, curious child,” and said her death caused lasting trauma.

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