Man who ‘threw’ infant son onto the ground sentenced to 9 years

A man who told police he threw his 4-month-old son onto the ground, leaving him seriously injured, was sentenced Wednesday to nine years in prison.

Maengun James Lee Randberg, 26, was charged with first-degree assault. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 7 and admitted to the following aggravating factors:

• The victim was particularly vulnerable due to his age
• The victim was treated with particular cruelty because his injuries were known but ignored by Randberg for several hours
• Randberg was in a position of authority over the victim, as he is the victim’s father

According to a criminal complaint, on Feb. 18, 2023, Brooklyn Center police began investigating a report of child abuse against a 4-month-old infant. The report came from staff members at a hospital where the infant was being treated for “significant injuries to the degree that it [was] unknown if the child would survive.”

The infant’s mother said she left him in the care of his father, Randberg, while she went to work. While at work, Randberg called her and flipped the phone around so she could see the infant, whose arms were at his side and his eyes were closed.

According to a criminal complaint, when she went home, she found the infant limp and unable to control his neck.

Two days prior, the infant’s mother brought him to Urgent Care due to injuries she noticed when she got home from work. She said that Randberg gets frustrated when the baby cries and is too aggressive when playing or picking him up. She added that Randberg has had “thin patience” with the baby since he was born.

After continuous questioning with investigators, Randberg admitted he got frustrated with the infant and “threw [him] with two hands, hard face-down on the wood floor.” The child immediately showed signs of serious injury, court documents state.

Randberg then put the infant in the pack-and-play and then notified the child’s mother a few hours later.

He also told police that he didn’t go with the baby to the hospital because he had a job interview at Menards that he “couldn’t miss.”