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SAN DIEGO - A Navy sailor who pleaded guilty to felony child abuse in the death of his 3-month-old stepdaughter was sentenced today to 21 years in state prison.
Steven Curtis Davinger, 29, pleaded guilty last October to charges involving the infant.
The baby's mother, 23-year-old Sara Davinger, and a babysitter, Thomas Stevenson, also pleaded guilty to child abuse and are scheduled to be sentenced Thursday.
The Davingers, who were both in the Navy, were arrested last March at the 32nd Street Naval Station.
The couple had been under investigation since Oct. 13, 2009, when Stevenson called 911 to report that he had found the child dead in the Serra Mesa home he shared with the Davingers.
The infant, named Aziya, was cold and stiff when paramedics arrived.
Steven Davinger told officers that a large abrasion on the baby's face was caused by her rubbing her face on the carpet, but authorities found that not to be credible because of her age and lack of mobility.
An autopsy revealed that the baby died from infections caused by fractures of her ribs, arms, legs inflicted between September and October 2009.
Witnesses said that Steven Davinger had a short temper and would yell at Aziya and was seen being rough with her, pushing her on her stomach, said Deputy District Attorney Per Hellstrom.
