Father in scalding death gets seven years despite pastor plea
Robert Ritchie
Robert Ritchie  was convicted in  his  third trial in August in the death of little Austin Cooper after two mistrials.  He  was facing up to 11 years in prison.
 Ohio man Robert Ritchie  was sentenced to seven years in prison on Tuesday. (Nick Graham/AP)
Lawyer Frank Schiavone characterized  Ritchie  as a victim of  his  wife and "an abused man."  Anna Ritchie  pleaded guilty last year and is serving 18 years to life in prison.
During Tuesday's sentencing   the 32-year-old Ritchie  told the judge that he wanted to became a pastor so he could pass on his faith.
Schiavone called  Ritchie  a "gentle giant" who has been full of "despair and hopelessness" since his son died.
However  Austin's maternal grandmother Sheri Gredig told  Ritchie  he was "destined for hell and the devil himself."
"We will never watch him grow up " she said in court  according to the Journal-News. "He ( Ritchie ) took that away from all of us and for that he should receive the maximum sentence possible."
Prosecutors argued in the Warren County courtroom that  Robert Ritchie  failed to get medical treatment that could have saved Austin's life in March 2016.
 Anna Ritchie  is serving an 18-year sentence for Austin's death.
 Anna Ritchie  resented being Austin's stepmother and put  him  in the 130-degree water as a form of punishment  according to prosecutors.  Robert Ritchie  did not check on  his  son for 15 hours  Fox 19 reported.
[TGT] was convicted in   [TGT]   third trial in August in the death of little Austin Cooper after two mistrials.   [TGT]   was facing up to 11 years in prison.
  [TGT] was sentenced to seven years in prison on Tuesday. (Nick Graham/AP)
Lawyer Frank Schiavone characterized  Ritchie  as a victim of  his  wife and "an abused man."   [TGT] pleaded guilty last year and is serving 18 years to life in prison.
During Tuesday's sentencing    [TGT] told the judge that he wanted to became a pastor so he could pass on his faith.
Schiavone called   [TGT] a "gentle giant" who has been full of "despair and hopelessness" since his son died.
However  Austin's maternal grandmother Sheri Gredig told   [TGT] he was "destined for hell and the devil himself."
"We will never watch him grow up " she said in court  according to the Journal-News. "He ( Ritchie ) took that away from all of us and for that he should receive the maximum sentence possible."
Prosecutors argued in the Warren County courtroom that   [TGT] failed to get medical treatment that could have saved Austin's life in March 2016.
  [TGT] is serving an 18-year sentence for Austin's death.
  [TGT] resented being Austin's stepmother and put   [TGT]   in the 130-degree water as a form of punishment  according to prosecutors.   [TGT] did not check on   [TGT]   son for 15 hours  Fox 19 reported.