A Lafayette man accused of biting, shaking and suffocating his infant son last year pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to a charge of child abuse resulting in death.
Benjamin Koller, 27, faces 16 to 48 years in prison. Sentencing was set for June 29.
Prosecutors dropped the more serious charge of first-degree murder in exchange for the guilty plea.
Koller was arrested in July after he and his common-law wife brought their 7-week-old son, Jack, to the hospital with critical injuries, including a skull fracture, multiple bruises, bite marks and scratches to his face.
Doctors told police that Jack had “considerable widespread brain damage,” retinal hemorrhaging and bruising behind his ear “indicative of being grabbed by the ear.”
The infant was released from the hospital in August into the care of his grandmother.
The family had hoped the boy would recover, but he died Oct. 5.
The Boulder County coroner’s office ruled his death a homicide in December.
