Shawn Martin received an 11-to-28-year prison term after entering no-contest pleas to third-degree murder and child endangerment.
PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh man has been sentenced to 11 to 28 years in state prison after pleading no contest to charges stemming from the death of his 5-day-old son, who suffered fatal head injuries while in his father’s care.
Shawn Martin, 32, entered no-contest pleas to third-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child in the December 2023 death of Jah’Shawn Martin. Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Elliot Howsie imposed the sentence under a plea agreement. A no-contest plea permits a court to enter a conviction without requiring the defendant to formally admit guilt.
The case began after emergency responders were called to a home in Pittsburgh’s Northview Heights neighborhood late on Dec. 15, 2023. Jah’Shawn was taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in critical condition and died hours later. Investigators said medical examinations showed that the newborn suffered at least one forceful blow, and possibly several, to the back of his head.
According to evidence presented during earlier court proceedings, Jah’Shawn was born Dec. 11 and left the hospital with his mother two days later. His mother was later readmitted because of complications following childbirth, leaving the newborn and the couple’s 2-year-old child in Martin’s care. Martin took the baby to his first pediatric appointment on Dec. 15 before returning home.
Prosecutors said the baby’s mother was speaking with Martin by phone that evening when she fell asleep with the call still connected. She later told investigators that she awoke after hearing the infant make an unusual scream. When she could not get Martin to answer, she repeatedly called him and then asked a friend to check on the children.
The friend arrived at the home and found Martin asleep nearby, according to court reporting based on the criminal complaint. After Martin was awakened, he called the baby’s mother and said Jah’Shawn was not breathing. Emergency services were contacted, and the infant was transported to the hospital.
Martin initially told Pittsburgh detectives that he had been asleep and did not know what had happened to his son. He said he noticed that Jah’Shawn was limp and unresponsive after he was awakened. Investigators said the child’s injuries could not have resulted from an accident. Authorities also noted that the only other person staying in the home was the baby’s 2-year-old sibling.
Martin was arrested Jan. 12, 2024, after police located him in Pittsburgh’s Brookline neighborhood. He was charged with criminal homicide and endangering the welfare of a child. Martin initially entered a guilty plea to third-degree murder in June 2025 but withdrew that plea before sentencing. The case was later resolved through the no-contest pleas and negotiated sentence.
At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors described the infant’s injuries as exceptionally severe. Howsie said the case was among the worst he had encountered during his career as a lawyer and judge. Jah’Shawn’s mother also addressed the court about the lasting effect of her son’s death and the limited time she had been able to spend with him after his birth.
Martin must serve at least 11 years before becoming eligible for parole consideration. His maximum sentence is 28 years. The plea agreement ended the trial-stage proceedings in the case, although any future release will be governed by Pennsylvania prison and parole procedures.
Author note: Last updated August 1, 2026.