Webster City, Iowa — An Iowa man has been sentenced to 15 years in state prison after pleading guilty in connection with the death of a 10-month-old boy who was in his care.
Gunner Michael Jones, 28, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment in Hamilton County District Court. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to the child’s estate.
The case dates back to the early morning hours of April 16, 2023, when emergency crews were called to a home on 3rd Street in Webster City after the infant was found unresponsive.
According to investigators, the child’s mother called 911 at about 1:45 a.m. She reported that her son was not responding and appeared blue and cold. Police officers and paramedics arrived and the child was taken to Van Diest Medical Center for emergency treatment.
Medical personnel noticed bruising that raised concerns about possible inflicted injuries. The infant was later transferred to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines, where he died.
An autopsy later determined that the child suffered multiple blunt-force injuries to the head. Authorities classified the death as a homicide.
Investigators spent months examining what happened inside the Webster City residence. The investigation found that Jones and the child’s mother were the only adults in the home that night. Investigators said the mother had gone to sleep while Jones remained awake with the infant.
That timeline became a central part of the case because Jones was the only person alone with the child before the injuries occurred.
Jones was initially charged with first-degree murder in November 2024. Prosecutors alleged at the time that the killing was deliberate and premeditated. He pleaded not guilty in December 2024 and was later scheduled for trial.
The trial date was subsequently moved as the case continued through the Hamilton County court system. Rather than going to trial, prosecutors added a child-endangerment charge, and Jones ultimately entered guilty pleas to involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.
The guilty plea brought the nearly three-year-old criminal case to a close with the 15-year prison sentence.
The child’s identity has not been publicly released. His mother also has not been identified in publicly available reports.
The case began with an emergency call in Webster City in April 2023 and ended with a criminal conviction more than three years later, following an investigation into how the infant sustained the injuries that proved fatal.
