FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: | May 22, 2023 |
Contact: | Emily Lowe Public Information Officer 208-287-7700 |
RE: | State v. Thomas Rowley – Sentencing |
BOISE – Thomas Rowley, 25, was sentenced to prison Monday for the murder of his four-month-old son, Milo.
The Honorable Ada County District Judge James Cawthon sentenced Mr. Rowley to life imprisonment with 25 years fixed before being eligible for parole.
On June 20, 2020, Mr. Rowley was found to have severely shaken Milo before dropping him face first in his crib, causing him to suffer a fatal brain injury from which he died. Mr. Rowley waited more than four hours before calling dispatch to get assistance for his son, who later died at a local hospital. Though this shaking incident caused Milo’s death, it was determined Mr. Rowley hit and shook Milo on several occasions prior to his death. In March 2023, a jury convicted Mr. Rowley of first-degree murder.
“I recognize no sentence handed down today can ease the unbearable loss to Milo’s family. On behalf of my office, I extend our sincerest condolences to Milo’s mother and family,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts. “The abuse and homicide of a child is heartbreaking, and I want to acknowledge the tireless efforts by all who worked on this case, from my trial team, the medical experts, to the Boise Police Detectives whose dedication and hard work on this homicide allowed my office to successfully prosecute and serve justice in this case.”
St. Luke’s CARES located at the Faces of Hope Victim Center provides medical evaluation, treatment, counseling, and other community support services for children experiencing abuse. Children are primarily referred to CARES by law enforcement, the court, or the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. More can be learned here: St. Luke’s CARES. Idaho is a mandatory report state, meaning if you suspect abuse or neglect of a child has occurred or is occurring, you are required within 24 hours to report it to your local law enforcement agency or to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.