A Utah man has pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated murder after his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter was left critically injured in a Sandy home following repeated abuse that prosecutors said was connected to his frustration with the child’s potty training.
Tyrel Scott Belone, 29, entered his guilty plea on Sept. 24, 2026. Under the plea agreement, charges of aggravated child abuse and child torture were dismissed. He remains scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 2 at 3 p.m.
The case began in June 2025, when Sandy police were called to a home after the young girl was found unconscious and seriously injured. Officers found her unresponsive but still breathing and with a pulse. She was later flown to Primary Children’s Hospital for treatment.
Police Found the Child Unresponsive
According to court records, the incident happened on June 28, 2025, after the child had a potty-training accident early that morning.
Belone was caring for the girl while her mother, Amber Leary, was preparing to leave for work. Investigators said Belone later acknowledged throwing the child onto a mattress, causing her to strike her head against a wall.
When officers arrived at the Sandy residence around 7:13 a.m., they found the girl downstairs. She was not responding to officers or moving her eyes, and police observed bruising on her face and elsewhere on her body.
Medical evaluations later documented a skull fracture and other serious injuries. Court records described the injuries as consistent with inflicted trauma occurring on more than one occasion.
Earlier Messages Raised Concerns
Investigators also uncovered text messages Belone had sent to Leary days before the June 28 incident.
According to the charging documents, he made threats against the child and expressed anger over her behavior and potty training. Leary later told investigators that when she returned from work on June 22, the girl had visible bruising, including swelling around her eyes and an injury to her head.
Belone also acknowledged during the investigation that he had previously struck the child, including using his hand and, on another occasion, hitting her with a closed fist.
Prosecutors said the abuse was not limited to the final incident that resulted in the girl’s hospitalization.
Mother’s Criminal Case Is Still Pending
Leary was also charged in connection with the case. Prosecutors alleged that she failed to intervene or obtain medical assistance despite the child’s injuries.
She has not entered a plea in her case, and the allegations against her remain unresolved.
At a recent hearing, Leary asked to speak during Belone’s sentencing. A judge granted that request, despite attorneys noting that she no longer has parental rights and is not legally considered a family member for purposes of the request. She is expected to be transported from jail to the courthouse for the Dec. 2 sentencing and will have her own hearing afterward.
Belone Could Face a Lengthy Prison Sentence
Because Belone pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated murder, he faces a potential sentence of 15 years to life under the applicable statute. Utah law also allows a judge, under certain circumstances, to impose a lower minimum term of six or 10 years.
The plea agreement does not include a recommendation for a specific sentence from the attorneys, leaving the final punishment to the court.
The case drew significant attention after prosecutors initially filed three first-degree felony charges against Belone and Leary: attempted aggravated murder, aggravated child abuse and child torture.
Belone’s guilty plea resolves his criminal case as to the attempted aggravated murder charge, but the legal proceedings involving the child’s mother are continuing.
The girl’s long-term condition has not been publicly detailed in the latest court updates.
