Judge rejects child death plea bargain

La Paz County Superior Court Judge Matthew Newman chose not to accept a plea deal offered Tuesday to a man who stands accused of killing his own 3 year-old daughter through child abuse.

Aaron Freeman, 25, had a pen in his hand and was about to sign the agreement when Newman interjected from the bench. “Well, let me stop you right there,” he said.

Freeman had been charged with the death of his daughter after she died last year. According to prosecutors, there were several acts of child abuse occurring across June 10th, 2017, one of which – allegedly at a tire shop in Ehrenberg, AZ – resulted in a perforated stomach, and the child’s eventual death in hospital.

Freeman faces life in prison if convicted at trial of charges including first-degree murder. The agreement presented in court Tuesday would have him plead guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse, with a recommended sentence between 20.5 and 30.5 years.

The child’s mother, Ashley Parrish, speaking to the court by phone, said she did not agree with the plea. “We think it’s too easy of a sentence for him. [My daughter] didn’t have it easy, she didn’t ask to be beat every day by Mr. Freeman. That’s it, your honor.”

Freeman said he would like to execute the agreement, but was stopped just short of signing it. Newman said the agreement was “what most people would consider a pretty sweet deal” for Freeman, mentioning the video evidence that purportedly shows examples of the child abuse.

“From the facts I’ve seen,” Newman told the parties eventually, “this is a plea agreement that this particular court would not accept. I have to tell you that. So I don’t want everybody to waste their time and get their hopes up. Another judge may feel differently, but that’s how I feel about it.”

Jessica Quickle will be the judge in the case next year.

13 comments

  1. Donald Wilson

    He will get his as soon as he gets to prison…

  2. Joanna Gerbitz Hermes

    Good job, Newman. I hope Quickle has the same thought process on this case. Imagine the suffering that child went through; poor, precious baby.

  3. Glenda Gustin

    Twenty to twenty-five years IF he actually does that, is pretty good if you ask me,(and nobody is) in comparison to the fact that he might be another Cayley Anthony. I understand there was a plea deal there also, and in some other cases, too and look what happened. Take the damn plea deal and take the one million dollars saved and give it to social services and mental health services and use that money to SAVE some other child. A trial won’t bring that baby back, or bring back any baby.

  4. Debra Vitali

    Castrate him with a dull butter knife then chop off his fingers. Make him suffer.

  5. Good for the judge. He deserves a life sentence. Glenda imagine that poor child who will never see another birthday, Christmas, etc. And you nailed it IF he serves it. So why give him the chance to be out even earlier? Maybe HE should have thought about wasting money before he decided to beat his daughter to death. She was innocent and the way she suffered was horrendous. You have no idea what that littlle girl went thru so before you say she isn’t worth the money maybe take a look at the bigger picture of keeping a monster off the streets.

  6. Lindsay Bradley

    Good for the judge. He deserves a life sentence. Glenda imagine that poor child who will never see another birthday, Christmas, etc. And you nailed it IF he serves it. So why give him the chance to be out even earlier? Maybe HE should have thought about wasting money before he decided to beat his daughter to death. She was innocent and the way she suffered was horrendous. You have no idea what that littlle girl went thru so before you say she isn’t worth the money maybe take a look at the bigger picture of keeping a monster off the streets.

  7. Some of you believe a plea bargain should be given so we the taxpayers can save money… We the taxpayers deserve to pay for every dime because we don’t do anything about the pathetic laws letting murderers go free or live when the victim is dead… Murderers of children should be something we the taxpayers should all agree upon that these POS should not live behind bars or in society… Death Penalty needs to be implemented now…

  8. Michelle L Dahinden

    I agree with the mother and so does the judge! Kudos to both!

  9. Lisa Croley

    And btw where was the mother in all this??????

  10. I was not involed in her death i cant go in to details

  11. He deserves death nothing short of death I want to know why no one helped and why there isn’t a community candelightung for this little girl and where the hells the mother. Any other children and why isn’t all who should have could have and didn’t charged too? This man is no f dought as bad as one can get and you all talk about him? Man this is planet hell

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