A Cape Coral man found guilty of aggravated manslaughter in the death of his 6-year-old stepson has received the maximum sentence allowed by law.
Phillipe Ian Gayle, 28, was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison for killing Joshua Jenkins in 2008.
Gayle was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter of a child and aggravated child neglect by a jury in November. ,Judge Ramiro Manalich imposed the sentence.
On Feb. 18, 2008, at 7:36 p.m., Cape Police were notified by officials at Health Park that an abused 6-year-old boy was at their hospital in ICU and was not expected to live. The boy died at 9:14 p.m.
Detectives responded to the hospital and found the boy covered in bruises. An autopsy on Joshua found that he had sustained blunt force trauma, causing multiple contusions to his diaphragm and lungs, as well as a lacerated liver. He had hemorrhages to his forehead and excessive bleeding in his abdominal area. Bite marks also were found on his body.
Detective Christy Jo Ellis and Detective Kurt Grau approached Gayle at the hospital, and he agreed to be interviewed at police headquarters. During questioning, Gayle changed his story four times. He finally admitted that he woke up at 10 a.m. to find that Joshua had urinated in the bed they were sleeping in together. Gayle then said he was “playing too rough” with Joshua and hit him in his side with his knuckles, bit him and squeezed him. He also said he would fall on top of Joshua with his 225-lb. body, while Joshua weighed only 50 pounds.
Gayle was arrested by the detectives and charged in the boy’s death.

Source: Cape Coral Police Department

Mugshot attached.