JOSHUA MANNS, 30, has avoided a possible death sentence by agreeing to a 60-year prison term for the child-abuse death of three-year-old Jameson Nance in West Melbourne in 2021.

As part of a plea agreement with the State Attorney’s Office, Manns pled no-contest June 17  and was found guilty of second-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, child neglect with great bodily harm, and child abuse. Jury selection was underway in Viera for his trial for first-degree murder and the other charges.

Circuit Judge Steve Henderson scheduled sentencing for Monday June 22 at 9 a.m. in Viera. The victim’s survivors could make impact statements to the court.

Under the plea agreement, Mann’s sentences of 30 years each for aggravated child abuse and child neglect and 26 years for child abuse will run concurrently with the 60-year sentence for second-degree murder.

Police investigators and prosecutors determined Manns and the boy’s mother, Erica Dotson, beat and abused the toddler over months, inflicting injuries including a broken rib, brain swelling, and stab wounds. An autopsy revealed Jameson died from severe, ongoing physical abuse rather than accidental drowning in a bathtub, as Manns claimed.

Dotson, 32, also faces trial for first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and related charges. Prosecutors say Dotson was involved or complicit in abusing Jameson and chose not to act to protect him. Among the evidence: Text messages recovered from the Dotson and Manns’ mobile phones that show they fabricated cover stories, minimized critical injuries to the child, and chose to protect themselves rather than seeking medical help.

Dotson is scheduled for trial July 20.