Man who drowned son gets 38 years
A man who drowned his infant son in a pond as the child’s mother and extended family watched in horror was sentenced Friday to 38 years in prison.
Sean A. Flowers, 25, who pleaded guilty in December to first-degree reckless homicide for the July incident, told the judge he’s seeking help to understand why he killed his son. “I’m unsure, but I know there’s something wrong with me,” he said.
He also expressed remorse and apologies to the child’s mother, Marilyn Brown.
Moments earlier, in a long, emotional statement to both Flowers and Circuit Judge Jeffrey Wagner, Brown said she wasn’t buying any of it.
“Of all the things in the world to do,” Brown said. “I don’t know how you would even get that thought in your mind.” She asked why he didn’t just take out his jealous anger on her, as he had done so many times before.
“I still can’t believe you did that. Why, Sean? Why would you do that to him, to me, my family, people you don’t even know?”
Jobe Griffin was having dinner with his wife on July 30 at their apartment at Northridge Lakes in the 9200 block of N. 75th St. He heard a commotion outside and, though he didn’t know any of the people involved, he went out into the pond to try to rescue 3-monthold Sean Flowers III from his father. He succeeded briefly before Flowers wrestled the child back and waded out deeper in the pond.
Other family members, who could not swim, were at the shore.
The family had gathered that afternoon to mark the birthday of Flowers’ grandmother, who died in 2015. By about 8:30 p.m., Flowers had become angry over the way Brown had been dancing at the party, grabbed the child and began to storm out, punching his sister as she tried to stop him. Others followed him outside and implored Flowers to hand back his son as he walked out into the pond.
Griffin also spoke Friday. “I had a regular life,” he told the judge, and now he can’t shake the horrible memory of briefly holding the child before his death, and thoughts of how Brown and her other children will struggle.
Prosecutor Matthew Torbenson had recommended a 30-year sentence, despite Flowers’ lack of a record and solid upbringing. He said Flowers held his son up to look him in the eyes as they went into deep water, making “a conscious decision to extinguish his child’s life.”
Flowers’ attorney, Danielle Shelton, suggested 20 to 25 years. She said three different doctors examined Flowers. “There is not a medical basis for what happened here,” she said, nor grounds for an insanity defense, though he does now take several medications after having been on suicide watch when first arrested.
Flowers was originally charged with first-degree intentional homicide before pleading guilty to the lesser charge. Wagner added 12 years of extended supervision to follow Flowers’ prison term.