Parish convicted in child’s death

Jace Radke

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 | 9:27 a.m.

The sentencing phase of the trial of a former Nellis Air Force Base airman convicted in the beating death of his ex-girlfriend's infant daughter was scheduled to begin today.

Brandon Parish, 24, could face life in prison without the possibility of parole in connection with the death of 20-month-old Samantha Storm six years ago.

Parish was found guilty of first-degree murder by child abuse by a jury on Monday.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Lisa Luzaich said there are only three choices for the jury in sentencing Parish.

"He could get life without the possibility of parole, life with parole eligibility after 20 years, or a 50-year sentence with parole eligibility after 20 years," Luzaich said. "We were hoping for this verdict. There was certainly strong evidence against him."

Prosecutors told the jury that Parish violently shook and beat the child when she was left alone with him at his Nellis dormitory in April 1997. The next day the child was declared brain dead. She had suffered skull fractures and intercranial bleeding.

Among the injuries found on the infant's body were hand-print shaped bruises to the child's buttocks, bruises to her head and broken bones in her foot. A doctor testified that the fatal blow the child suffered was comparable to falling off a several-story building and landing on concrete.

The child's mother, Dawn Mathiasen, 26, is serving a six- to 15-year sentence for child abuse and neglect. She disobeyed police orders to keep the child away from Parish after prior allegations of abuse.