Tears in her eyes, Sierra Coy, Kaden’s mother, said she was relieved the case involving her son’s killer was finally over.
“I want them to remember (Kaden) was such a happy and innocent baby and he did not deserve what he got,” she said.
Coy was dating and living with Meddock at the time of Kaden’s death, she said.
A judge handed down a sentence Wednesday of life in prison for Meddock with the possibility of parole after 23 years.
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Kaden’s grandmother, Tori Chamberlin, said no time will ever make up for the pain Meddock has caused her family.
“Even the death penalty wouldn’t have been good enough because it’s never going to take away what he’s done,” she said.
Chamberlin’s son — Jordan Payne — died of a drug overdose just months after his son’s death. Chamberlin said Jordan Payne turned to drugs after Kaden’s death to numb the pain.
During the trial last month, Clark County Assistant Prosecutor Amy Smith painted a picture of the injuries an autopsy of Kaden’s body revealed.
The official cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma to the head, neck and torso, according to court records.
Meddock was arrested in June 2015 after a months-long investigation into the death of the toddler, Springfield Police Division Detective Trent King said at the time of Meddock's arrest.
Chamberlin and her family now hope Kaden’s story can prevent other children from being hurt.
“Hopefully some people will learn from this and watch closer for the signs,” of child abuse, she said.
Clark County Assistant Prosecutor Amy Smith argued in the four-day trial last month that Meddock was the only person who was alone with the boy to cause the injuries.
An autopsy of the child showed new and old injuries, according to court records. Bruises on the toddler’s forehead, face and stomach were visible, Smith said.
But internal bruising on the boy’s skull showed possible evidence of previous injuries, prosecutors said.
Coy and Chamberlin’s families thanked the efforts of the Springfield police and Clark County Prosecutor’s Office.
“It will never bring him back, but I have a lot of relief and … I have what I wanted,” Coy said of the life sentence.
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