Mt. Clemens, MI – Vincent Zappa, 26, of Warren, will spend the next 18-30 years in prison after a Macomb County jury convicted him of First-Degree Child Abuse in the brutal assault of an eight-month-old baby.
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On Thursday, February 26, 2026, Joseph Toia sentenced Zappa to 216-360 months in the Michigan Department of Corrections. He is prohibited from having any contact with the victim or the victim’s family and is required to register under Wyatt’s Law, Michigan’s child abuse offender registry. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Colleen Worden on behalf of the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.
The conviction stems from October 23, 2024, when Zappa was babysitting his then-girlfriend’s infant son while she was at work. Zappa called 911 claiming the baby was “not acting like himself.” The child was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Medical testimony presented at trial detailed devastating injuries, including an acute subdural hematoma — a severe brain bleed — more than 100 retinal hemorrhages in both eyes, extensive bruising across the infant’s body and blood from the mouth. Multiple treating physicians testified about the severity of the trauma and the long-term impact on the child.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido credited law enforcement, medical professionals and the jury for securing the conviction.
“My office exists to protect the innocent and to speak for children who cannot speak for themselves,” Lucido said. “We will relentlessly pursue justice against those who abuse and endanger our most vulnerable members of the community.”
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