Justice Approaches: Sentencing Date Announced for Man Who Admitted to Tragic Infant Hit-and-Run

In Jacksonville, Florida, the sentencing proceedings for the father who admitted to the tragic incident of running over his infant son with a vehicle continued into their second day on Monday.

Judge London Kite was tasked with setting the date for Justin Golden’s subsequent hearing, which was confirmed for Monday, December 1.

During the proceedings, prosecutors informed the court that they had concluded their presentation of witnesses, whereas the defense indicated that they had two more individuals lined up to testify.

Judge Kite briefly convened a sidebar to address and clarify some procedural matters.

The court took a temporary pause to conclude other cases; Golden returned approximately 25 minutes later.

The defense asked to set a new hearing date, and Judge Kite discussed availability for December 12, ultimately moving the sentencing to that date.

Before concluding, Golden addressed the judge directly — saying he had recently been placed in solitary confinement at the jail and asking if the court could intervene. A bailiff chimed in and said, “No.”

Jude London Kite informed Golden that the court did not have authority over prison assignments and advised Golden to work with his attorney and JSO on the matter.

When Kite asked Golden if he reached out to JSO, Golden said he did, but they declined.

“It’s alright,” he said, before Kite clarified she has no control over that.   

In the early morning of Jan. 25, 2025, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to a crash involving an 8-month-old boy, Pablo Kye Golden, at the intersection of McDuff Avenue South and Lenox Avenue on Jacksonville’s Westside. 

According to investigators, Golden, who was driving with a female passenger (the baby’s mother), became involved in an argument with her near that intersection. When the vehicle came to a stop, Golden allegedly opened his door, placed the child on the ground, and then drove off — striking the baby in the process. The baby was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead.

Golden was originally arrested and charged with vehicular homicide, failing to render aid, and aggravated manslaughter of a child. 

In February, he pleaded not guilty. In September, prosecutors dropped the vehicular homicide charge, and Golden pleaded guilty instead to aggravated manslaughter of a child under an agreement that carries a possible sentence of up to 30 years in prison.