After the death of his 7-week-old daughter last year, Nathan Hogan told an Austin homicide detective that he had beaten her after she would not stop crying, according to a police affidavit.
Today, Hogan, 23, pleaded guilty to murdering Serenity Hogan and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
The sentence was part of a plea bargain with prosecutors. He had faced a capital murder charge that, because District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg decided not to seek the death penalty, was punishable by life in prison without parole.
Under his sentence, Hogan (pictured) will be eligible for parole after serving 25 years.
“It’s really a heartbreaking story,” prosecutor Monica Flores said outside state District Judge Karen Sage’s court.
Flores said that an investigation into Hogan’s background found that Hogan had been himself abused as a child.
She said he had been in the military, although without her notes could not recall which branch. He was dishonorably discharged after beating up a vending machine and being charged in military court with destruction of property, Flores said.
She said he had no other criminal record.
Serenity’s mother, Jacqueline Nunez, became pregnant soon after she and Hogan had met at a bar on Sixth Street, Flores said.
At the time of Serenity’s death, Hogan had watched the girl during the day while Nunez worked, Flores said. The couple lived at an apartment on the Interstate 35 frontage road near Braker Lane.
Nunez told police that on Feb. 2, 2011, the girl appeared healthy when she left for work about 8:30 a.m., an affidavit said.
Hogan told Austin homicide Detective Jason Cumins that about noon that day, he had a headache and Serenity would not stop crying, an arrest affidavit written by Cumins said.
“He lost his temper and grabbed Serenity Hogan by the neck and began to shake her very hard,” the affidavit said. “Nathan Hogan then advised he threw her into her bassinet but she bounced out and hit the wall with the back of her head.”
Hogan told Cumins that he then punched Serenity in the abdomen, stomach, chest and face, the affidavit said.
“Nathan Hogan advised the affiant that the baby stopped crying and began making a light groaning sound,” the affidavit said.
Hogan told Cumins he laid the girl on a couch until a relative came over about 3 p.m., saw she was not breathing and told him to call 911, the affidavit said.
Hogan also told the detective that he had beaten the girl on four other occasions because she “would not stop crying,” the affidavit said.
Serenity was transported to Dell Children’s Medical Center. Court documents do not say when the girl was pronounced dead.
An autopsy found that Serenity died from blunt-force trauma. She had suffered a ruptured right renal vein, liver damage, three rib fractures, a fractured skull, a fractured clavicle and bruising on her face, the affidavit said.
The autopsy also revealed two additional rib fractures that appeared to be healing, the affidavit said, a potential sign of previous abuse.
Flores said that through his lawyer, Hogan made it clear “that he did not want to put the family through a trial.”
She said that soon after his arrest he approached prosecutors with an offer to plead guilty in exchange for a 40-year sentence.
“He appeared very remorseful,” Flores said.
Flores said that Nunez, 27, addressed Hogan in court, telling him that one day she hopes to forgive him.
