Suspect pleaded guilty in September to running over and killing his 8-month-old son

A father who pleaded guilty in September to running over and killing his 8-month-old son was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

On January 25, police said a deadly incident happened during an argument between Justin Golden and his child’s mother. Investigators said the argument began over baby wipes and money while the couple was inside a car near McDuff Avenue and Lenox Avenue in Jacksonville, Florida. Their infant son, Pablo Golden, was also in the car.

Police said Golden stopped the car, opened the door, placed Pablo on the ground, and then ran him over, killing him.

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.

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.

“In a span of three to four seconds, Pablo Golden went from being safely in the car to being killed and run over by his father,” said prosecutor John Kalinowski.

During sentencing, Golden addressed the court, calling his actions a mistake and taking responsibility for his son’s death.

“I failed as a protector, as his father,” Golden said. “I was the monster who killed him. I deserve judicial punishment.”

Golden’s father and grandfather also spoke, describing him as a nonviolent person and insisting the incident was an accident. His defense attorney, Kenneth Williams, pointed to Golden’s lack of a criminal record and described the act as impulsive.

“He has told me he wishes a thousand times a day he had not caused Pablo’s death,” Williams said.

However, Judge London Kite rejected the argument that the killing was simply a mistake.

“You are, by all accounts an exemplary young man that made a terrible choice,” Judge Kite said. “You were entrusted with him, and you violated that trust.”

With that, the judge sentenced Golden to 30 years in Florida state prison, formally closing the case.

Justin Golden’s sentencing was supposed to take place November 13, but was delayed after the court determined additional evidence and witness testimony remained outstanding.

His defense lawyer requested and was granted another postponement of his sentencing on December 12 to allow for two more testimonies to be heard before Judge London Kite decided his fate.

Golden originally pleaded not guilty to three charges on February 18. However, as part of the negotiated plea, state prosecutors dropped his vehicular homicide and failure to render aid charges.

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.”