Dad Sentenced To Life In Toddlers' Drowning Deaths

DETROIT (WWJ) - An Allen Park man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole in the drowning deaths of his two young children.

WWJ's Florence Walton reported a tearful Steven Nicholson told the court that he accepts responsibility for his negligence, but is not guilty of murdering his 15-month-old daughter, Ella Stafford, and his 13-month-old son, Johnathan Sanderlin.

He said the toddlers' deaths were an accident and a mistake.

Prosecutors said the 27-year-old single father drowned his children in the bath tub at his Allen Park apartment last October. 

Wayne County Judge Vera Massey found Nicholson guilty in April, saying that she believes Ella was intentionally drowned to cover up which may have been the accidental drowning of Johnathan.

The Wayne County Medical Examiner said it was possible, but unlikely, that the children could have turned on the water and entered the bathtub on their own. 

Along with the life sentence for first-degree murder, the Wayne County prosecutor's office said Nicholson also received up to 60 years in prison for second-degree murder and one to 15 years for child abuse.

Outside the court, Friday, Nicholson's aunt, Rachael Hannah, said she believes her nephew is innocent. 

"We are going to fight. We are going to fight as hard as we can. We are a strong family. We stand behind him one- hundred-percent. There was evidence that was not entered into the trial," Hannah said.

Nicholson has said he will file an appeal.