A Statesville man will spend 12 years in prison for seriously injuring a toddler and the statutory rape of a 15-year-old.

Christopher Jose Torres took an Alford plea on March 5 to multiple charges, including first-degree statutory sex offense, statutory rape and felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury, the Statesville Police Department said in a news release. An Alford plea means a defendant accepts punishment for a crime but does not admit guilt of the crime.

On Friday, Torres was given a prison sentence of 12 years to 19 years and six months, Statesville police said.

On Feb. 17, 2024, Statesville officers responded to Iredell Memorial Hospital regarding an unresponsive 13-month-old. The child was later transferred from Iredell Memorial Hospital to Atrium Health Wake Forest

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