Smith Sentenced in Child’s Death

More than two years after the death of a Zanesville toddler a man is sentenced in connection with her death.

Monday in Muskingum County Common Pleas Court, Judge Mark Fleegle sentenced 29-year-old Lionel Smith to a total of 18 months for his part in the death of three-year-old Kadence Prince.

Kadence was found dead October 31, 2007 in her Forest Avenue home. Smith pled guilty to a fourth-degree-felony charge of attempted endangering children, a first-degree-misdemeanor charge of endangering children and a fourth-degree-misdemeanor charge of failure to report a crime or knowledge of a death.

Smith will get credit for time served and should be released within the next few days.

In December, Kadence’s mother Kristen Prince was sentenced to 10 years in prison on an involuntary manslaughter charge after she admitted punching the child in the stomach.