A man described as "evil incarnate" for sexually abusing his seven-month-old daughter and then leaving her in the woods to die has been jailed for 50 years.
Cory Clarke will not be eligible for parole until he is 78
American Cory Clarke, 27, was ordered to serve a maximum 25 years for attempted murder and a maximum 25 years to life for predatory sexual assault against a child.
He will not be eligible for parole until he is 78.
"On that day, you lost your humanity and you became evil incarnate," Sullivan County Judge Frank LaBuda said.
"This was a vicious, evil act committed beyond the pale of reason or explanation."
Clarke, who had just been awarded visitation rights to his daughter, had fabricated a preposterous story, District Attorney Jim Farrell told the court.
He first reported the baby as missing to a Walmart shop employee on July 9 last year.
He maintained the baby was snatched while he was changing her brother in a bathroom at the store in Monticello, New York.
Five hours later, the child was found alive in a forest about 150m from the store, lying face down in mud and grass with no nappy.
Clarke was eventually accused of abusing the baby at his home in Monticello.
In his closing statements, Mr Farrell said that that DNA evidence conclusively proved the sexual assault and video cameras inside Walmart ruled out an abduction.
He told the jury that Clarke concocted the story to cover the sex abuse.
Mr Farrell showed the jury a graphic photo demonstrating damage done to the baby, and the baby's blood-stained nappy.
Clarke had to return the baby to the mother on the Monday after a weekend visit and would have been discovered, Mr Farrell said.
Clarke's attorney said he plans to appeal the sentence.
Cory Clarke will not be eligible for parole until he is 78
American Cory Clarke, 27, was ordered to serve a maximum 25 years for attempted murder and a maximum 25 years to life for predatory sexual assault against a child.
He will not be eligible for parole until he is 78.
"On that day, you lost your humanity and you became evil incarnate," Sullivan County Judge Frank LaBuda said.
"This was a vicious, evil act committed beyond the pale of reason or explanation."
Clarke, who had just been awarded visitation rights to his daughter, had fabricated a preposterous story, District Attorney Jim Farrell told the court.
He first reported the baby as missing to a Walmart shop employee on July 9 last year.
He maintained the baby was snatched while he was changing her brother in a bathroom at the store in Monticello, New York.
Five hours later, the child was found alive in a forest about 150m from the store, lying face down in mud and grass with no nappy.
Clarke was eventually accused of abusing the baby at his home in Monticello.
In his closing statements, Mr Farrell said that that DNA evidence conclusively proved the sexual assault and video cameras inside Walmart ruled out an abduction.
He told the jury that Clarke concocted the story to cover the sex abuse.
Mr Farrell showed the jury a graphic photo demonstrating damage done to the baby, and the baby's blood-stained nappy.
Clarke had to return the baby to the mother on the Monday after a weekend visit and would have been discovered, Mr Farrell said.
Clarke's attorney said he plans to appeal the sentence.
