Anthony Madril

ESCANABA — An Escanaba man who pleaded guilty to charges of animal torture and child abuse in two separate cases was sentenced to a minimum of six years and 8 months to a maximum of 10 years in prison in Delta County Circuit Court Wednesday.

In February, Michael Anthony Madril, 27, of 505 S. 17th St., Escanaba, pleaded guilty to one count of animals – killing/torturing and one count of child abuse – second degree. Delta County Circuit Court Judge John Economopoulos said Wednesday the sentencing guidelines for Madril’s crimes did not adequately address the severity and context of his actions. Because of this, he sentenced Madril to a minimum of 80 months — the maximum the state allows in the case of a 10-year felony — instead of sentencing the guideline’s minimum 71 months.

In the case of the child abuse – second degree, Economopoulos sentenced Madril to a minimum of 80 months and a maximum of 10 years in prison and credited him for 156 days already served. For the animal torture/killing case, Madril was sentenced to 9 months in jail and credited for 156 days already served. His sentence will be served concurrently.

Madril was also ordered to pay $456 in fines and costs.

According to the Escanaba Public Safety Department, a 3-year-old boy in Madril’s care suffered hypothermia after wandering outside when Madril had fallen asleep after taking drugs.

On Jan. 13, at approximately 6:50 p.m., Delta County Central Dispatch received a 911 call on a report of an unresponsive 3-year-old boy at a residence on the 500 block of South 17th Street. Escanaba Public Safety officers and Rampart EMS personnel were dispatched to the residence and were met by Madril carrying the boy to first responders.

Through investigation by Escanaba Public Safety, it was determined Madril was watching the boy, along with the boy’s 5-year-old brother. Madril admitted to investigators he had fallen asleep for an unknown amount of time. When he awoke, he could not initially find the toddler.

Madril told investigators he looked through the house until he saw the back door slightly opened. He opened the door to find the toddler lying on the ground at the bottom of the steps clothed in only his diaper.

According to what was disclosed during the sentencing, Madril brought the child inside the home and placed him in a bathtub. He then left the 3-year-old in the bathtub unattended and returned to the couch in the living room.

It was not until the 5-year-old child called out to Madril that the 3-year-old had hit his head and inhaled water that Madril called the boy’s mother at work, who in turn called 911.

“(The victim) ends up outside in 8 degree weather in nothing but a diaper in your supervision, or lack-thereof. He had an 82 degree body temperature by the time his body temperature could be ascertained, which would have been after you brought him inside, after you put him in the bathtub, after you wasted all kinds of time during this crisis, after the mother was called and medical help arrived — after all of that the child’s body temperature was still 82 degrees. Your actions and failures placed (the victim) at the doorstep of death and the child is alive today by the grace of God,” Economopoulos said.

The toddler was taken to OSF St. Francis Hospital by Rampart EMS and stabilized until he was airlifted to the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee for treatment of severe hypothermia. The boy has since been treated and released from the children’s hospital.

Investigators arrested Madril on a charge of child abuse – second degree, and he was lodged at the Delta County Jail, where he remained lodged when the warrant for his arrest on the animal torture case was issued.

He was officially charged in district court on the child abuse case on Jan. 14 and the animal torturing/killing case on Jan. 16.

According to Delta County Sheriff’s Office, the animal torture/killing case came to light when a severely injured puppy was brought in to Delta Animal Shelter in December. The animal was found on Dec. 20 at the end of a dirt road in Rock, unable to walk.

After the puppy was examined, the injuries were suspected to have been caused by animal abuse. The puppy was euthanized Dec. 21 because of the severity of its injuries, including multiple fractures that were at various stages of healing — meaning the injuries were sustained over a period of time. All four of the puppy’s legs had been broken.

Before sentencing, Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Lauren Wickman spoke about Madril’s history of taking his anger out on and inflicting cruelty onto whoever he is with and on other children. She stated he has two prior convictions of inflicting injury on a spouse or cohabitant and one prior of cruelty to a child.

“Before the court today is someone who likes to prey on the most innocent among us. In this current situation before the court, the court has two files. One involves a 3-year-old and his 5-year-old brother in and around periphery and the second involves a puppy,” she said.

The victim’s mother, Tiffany Shinnaberry, prepared a victim’s statement and addressed Economopoulos during the hearing.

She said she couldn’t fathom how a man she was going to marry and whom her children called “Dad” could be so neglectful and didn’t bother apologizing when he pleaded guilty.

Shinnaberry added she was being punished for Madril’s actions, as her children are no longer at home with her and she is now only allowed supervised visits.

John Bergman, Madril’s court appointed attorney, also spoke before Madril was sentenced.

He said his client did have remorse for what he had done and asked the court to consider Madril’s difficult adolescence bouncing around foster homes and his positive qualities of being a skilled worker, part of a labor union and having a sister in California.

Before Madril was sentenced he was given a chance to speak.

“I’m very sorry for what happened,” he said.