A 24-year-old Philadelphia man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the 2023 murder of a 2-year-old Reading boy .
Charles Acosta was convicted of first-degree murder by a jury in May following a three-day trial. He was found guilty of causing the death of Emiliano Velazquez, who suffered multiple serious injuries while Acosta was babysitting him.
Acosta was sentenced on Sept. 19th by Berks County Judge Eleni Geishauser to life in prison without parole.
According to police:
Early on May 5, 2023, the 2-year-old arrived at Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Bern Township for treatment of life-threatening injuries. The boy was later flown to the Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, Dauphin County, for more advanced critical care.
When Emiliano arrived a