A Central Florida man took a plea deal for a toddler’s abuse and murder.
30-year-old Joshua Manns avoided a possible death sentence by agreeing to a 60-year prison term for the child-abuse death of three-year-old Jameson Nance in West Melbourne in Brevard County in 2021.
As part of a plea agreement with the State Attorney’s Office, Manns pled no-contest and was found guilty of second-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, child neglect with great bodily harm, and child abuse. Jury selection was underway in Viera for his trial for first-degree murder and the other charges.
The agreement was supported by the boy’s father, James Nance, who wept as prosecutors played a silent slideshow of photos of him with his son during the sentencing hearing in Viera. Under the plea agreement, Mann’s sentences of 30 years each for aggravated child abuse and child neglect and 26 years for child abuse will run concurrently with the 60-year sentence for second-degree murder.
“One down, one to go,” said Nance.
The boy’s mother, 32-year-old Erica Dotson, was also charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and child neglect resulting in great bodily harm. Police investigators and prosecutors determined Manns and the boy’s mother beat and abused the toddler over months, inflicting injuries including a broken rib, brain swelling, and stab wounds. An autopsy revealed Jameson died from severe, ongoing physical abuse rather than accidental drowning in a bathtub, as Manns claimed.
Assistant State Attorney Samantha Barrett said Manns’ sentence resolved his case in a way that spared the boy’s father the pain of a trial and possibly years of appeals and hearings that can prolong a surviving family’s suffering.
James Nance joined Barrett, State Attorney William Scheiner and prosecutor Christine Babb in talking with news reporters outside the courthouse after the hearing.
“The sentence is one step in the long journey for justice for Jameson Nance, but this pursuit is not over,” Barrett said. “The State Attorney’s Office looks forward to the day when Erica Dotson is held accountable for her role in her son’s death.”
Police investigators determined Manns and Dotson beat and abused the little boy over months, inflicting injuries that included a broken rib, brain swelling, and stab wounds. An autopsy revealed Jameson died from severe, ongoing physical abuse rather than accidental drowning in a bathtub, as Manns claimed to police.
Neither acted to protect him, prosecutors say. Among the trial evidence: Text messages recovered from Dotson’s mobile phone that show they fabricated cover stories, minimized critical injuries to the child, and chose to protect themselves rather than seeking medical help.
The post Central Florida Man Took Plea Deal for Toddler’s Abuse, Murder appeared first on West Orlando News.
Source: West Orlando News
Published: 2026-08-03 15:12:00