Jacob Ray Wescott, a Kershaw County, South Carolina babysitter, was sentenced to 33 years in prison on February 9, 2026, after a jury convicted him of homicide by child abuse for the 2020 death of 10-month-old Baby Jack. Medical experts determined the infant’s extensive head and body injuries, including a brain bleed and bruises, were consistent with abusive head trauma.
Incident Details
On March 9, 2020, emergency responders rushed to Wescott’s Pine Grove Road home after the boy stopped breathing; he claimed the child had formula, they napped for 90 minutes, then the infant began “spazzing out.” Paramedics performed CPR en route to Kershaw Health, followed by transfer to Prisma Health Children’s Hospital, where Jack was removed from life support two days later on March 11. Two other minors were present, and a witness called 911.
Investigation and Trial
Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office and SLED’s Child Fatality Unit ruled the injuries non-accidental, rejecting Wescott’s account; an autopsy confirmed abusive head trauma as the cause. Prosecutors from the Fifth Judicial Circuit, including Deputy Solicitors Curtis Pauling and Anna Browder, secured the conviction before Judge Milton G. Kimpson, who imposed the sentence.​
Victim’s Family Impact
Sheriff Lee Boan noted victim advocates supported Jack’s mother
