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Authorities have reported that a dispute over baby wipes and money between Justin Golden, 21, and the mother of his child sparked a tragic incident.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Editor’s Note: Some readers may find the following details distressing.
In a Duval County courtroom on Friday, a Jacksonville man, who admitted to running over and fatally injuring his 8-month-old son in September, was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Initially, the sentencing for Justin Golden was scheduled for November 13, but it was postponed as the court identified that further evidence and witness testimonies were necessary.
On December 12, Golden’s defense attorney successfully sought another delay, enabling two additional testimonies to be presented before Judge London Kite ultimately determined Golden’s sentence.
Golden, 21, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child in the death of his son, Pablo Kye Golden. He originally pleaded not guilty to three charges on Feb. 18. However, as part of the negotiated plea, state prosecutors dropped his vehicular homicide and failure to render aid charge.
Judge Kite gave Golden credit for 328 days of time served.
In a letter Golden wrote to the judge in October, asking for leniency in his sentencing, Golden called the incident an accident.
“I[‘ve] never been in trouble a day in my life,” Golden said in the letter. “Prison is for harder criminal who knows that their intent is to commit a crime. If I’m guilty of anything ma’am, I’d be guilty of an accident that was caused by a mistake.”
What happened?
On the morning of Jan. 25, 2025, police said Golden was driving near the intersection of McDuff and Lenox avenues when he got into an altercation with his son’s mother, who was a passenger. 8-month-old Pablo was also in the vehicle at the time.
Police said the car came to a stop at the intersection, Golden opened the car door and placed the child on the ground. As Golden drove away, the vehicle ran Pablo over.
First responders took Pablo to Wolfson’s Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A witness, who was driving directly behind Golden at the time of the incident, followed Golden while on the phone with 911, Golden’s arrest report states.
The 911 operator notified nearby police officers of Golden’s location, and officers conducted a traffic stop near Stockton Street on his vehicle. He was ultimately detained.
During an interview with police, Golden said he got into a verbal fight with Pablo’s mother, who said she wanted to get out of the vehicle.
“Mr. Golden stated he did not want to be responsible for the child, nor accused of anything with the child,” Golden’s arrest report states.
Pablo’s mother was also interviewed by police. She told investigators she got into an argument with Golden over baby wipes and money, according to Golden’s arrest report.
The woman said she did not move Pablo from his car seat and began walking away from the vehicle in an effort to stop the altercation.
She told investigators she heard screaming and when she turned around, she noticed her son lying in the road and Golden’s vehicle gone.
‘I failed as his protector’
Before being sentenced, Golden was allowed to read a prepared statement, which can be watched below.
He told the judge he takes full responsibility for his actions, and that while he did not intend to kill his son, he failed as his protector, as his father and was the “monster” who killed him.
