A 37-year-old North Carolina man is headed to prison for decades after he beat, starved and burned his newborn daughter to the point that her "skin was loose on her body," authorities say.

Nickolas Shane Stephenson was found guilty of second-degree murder and felony child abuse in the death of his 12-week-old daughter Riley Stephenson, according to the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office . A judge sentenced him Friday to between roughly 27 years and 34 1/2 years behind bars. The jury opted to convict him of the lesser second-degree murder charge as opposed to first-degree murder.

"The evidence in this case was extremely graphic. We are grateful to the jury for their careful consideration of the evidence, which has held Stephenson accountable for the heartless cruelty he inflicted

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