Louisiana Dad Who Claimed 5-Year-Old Son Was 'Mentally Manifesting' His Illness Sentenced to 40 Years After Child Dies

Joseph Eslinger, 29, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading no contest to manslaughter in the death of his 5-year-old son, Leonardo "Leo" Eslinger.

Eslinger was originally charged with first-degree murder.

Prosecutors said he and his then-girlfriend, Diana Lopez, abused Leo before he was found unresponsive at his father's Albany, La., home on Dec. 28, 2023. He was taken by air to a New Orleans hospital, where he died three days later on New Year's Eve.

An autopsy found that Leo was malnourished and had multiple brain bleeds. Investigators also documented bruises and lacerations across his body and face.

Prosecutors said Eslinger and Lopez repeatedly beat Leo with their fists and charging cords and starved him.

Assistant District Attorney Amanda Liotto, who prosecuted the case for Louisiana's 21st Judicial District, said the child was treated differently from his two younger siblings.

"As a prosecutor and a mother, the loss of this precious five-year-old child weighs heavily on my heart," Liotto said after the sentencing.

"His life mattered, and there should have been so much more of it — more birthdays, first days of school, and memories with those who loved him."

Eslinger's 40-year sentence followed his no-contest plea to manslaughter, a reduction from the original first-degree murder charge. The Advocate reported that he is also expected to plead guilty to an obstruction of justice charge in November.

Eslinger told detectives after his arrest that Leo had been sick and had stopped talking and eating in the days before he was found unresponsive.

According to a probable cause affidavit cited in reporting on the case, Eslinger said he believed Leo was "mentally manifesting these symptoms, and he wasn't really sick." He did not seek medical attention for his son because of that belief.

The circumstances surrounding Leo's final days came after authorities found evidence of extensive physical injuries. Prosecutors said the child had been subjected to repeated abuse before his death.

Lopez, who was 29 at the time of the later proceedings, was also accused of participating in the abuse. She faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with Leo's death and is scheduled to return to court in November.

Her case remains separate from Eslinger's.

Prosecutors said the couple singled Leo out and treated him differently from his younger siblings, who were 3 years old and 10 months old when he died. Authorities said the younger children were not subjected to the same physical abuse.

The case began after police responded to a report of a child who was not breathing. Leo was found in poor condition and was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.

Leo's death followed a custody dispute that began in Indiana earlier in 2023. After Leo's mother, Sara Eslinger, was arrested on burglary and criminal mischief charges, she and Joseph Eslinger filed for divorce in March.

Joseph subsequently sought custody of all three children, while relatives also fought for custody.

Leo's great-aunt, Kristi Held, told WFIE that relatives were concerned about the children staying with Joseph and Lopez and that she had previously raised concerns about Leo being hurt. The family said those concerns were not adequately addressed.

Joseph was ultimately awarded custody of the three children, and a judge allowed him to move them to Louisiana without telling extended family where they were going.

After Leo's death, his two surviving siblings were placed with relatives in Indiana under emergency custody.