In a Davison County courtroom on Wednesday, September 11, 35-year-old Shawn Delancey of Mt. Vernon pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree manslaughter and child abuse following the death of 3-year-old Mahlon Pollard in March 2023.
Originally charged with murder, manslaughter, and child abuse, the murder charge was dropped as part of the plea deal.
Delancey admitted to shaking Mahlon violently after the child became upset during a bath. The boy later became unresponsive and died from a traumatic brain injury.
Delancey agreed to the plea deal, which means he will skip a jury trial. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years, with sentencing set for December 6th.
A pre-sentencing report will be prepared, incorporating input from the victim’s family and information about Delancey’s background.