The father of 4-year-old Rykelan Brown will serve 25 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday to beating the boy so badly that he died.
According to WSYR NewsChannel 9 in Syracuse, 29-year-old Joshua Emmons pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in Onondaga County Court. He had originally faced a murder charge in connection with Rykelan’s death in May 2024—just two months after being awarded custody of the child.
Prosecutors say this was not the first time Emmons abused a child. An investigation by the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office revealed a history of violence, including a 2019 arrest for endangering the welfare of a child after 3-year-old Eric Emm was found beaten and bruised.
During Monday’s hearing, Emmons asked to be released until his sentencing on September 16, but was denied.
