RI man gets life sentence in child's beating death

A man was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for fatally beating his girlfriend's 3-year-old nephew because the child spilled milk and yogurt on a rug.

Gilbert Delestre apologized for his role in the October 2004 death of Thomas "T.J." Wright, telling Providence Superior Court Judge Netti Vogel he felt ashamed and prayed each day for forgiveness.

But Vogel called him a coward and "sick and evil" person whose only remorse was at having been caught.

"He cared more about his rug than he did about the well-being of this boy," Vogel said. "He cared more about spilled milk than he did about the safety of this boy."...