A man from Georgia, Dillan Michael Tennant, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for brutally beating his two young children, a two-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, because they made a mess in their bedroom. The sentencing, handed down by Catoosa County Superior Court Judge Chris Arnt, includes the first half without the possibility of parole, following Tennas conviction on two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree.
During the trial, evidence was presented by prosecutors showing that Tennant physically abused his children by repeatedly beating them, resulting in horrific bruising on the toddlers. The incident took place in March 2023 at a home in Rossville, Georgia, where Tennant resided with his parents and brother.
Tennant became furious when he discovered the messy bedroom, blaming the children for not cleaning up while he failed to supervise them properly. Over the next two days, he subjected the children to multiple beatings, even using a board to strike his two-year-old son. After the abuse, Tennant took the children to a friend’s house in an attempt to conceal the injuries.
Upon returning home, the children’s grandparents and uncle noticed the bruises and injuries, prompting them to contact law enforcement. Despite Tennant’s initial denial of the abuse and attempt to shift blame to another family member, the severity of the injuries was evident. Shockingly, Tennant never sought medical help for his children.
Witnesses from the Department of Family and Children’s Services described the children’s bruising as some of the worst they had seen in their careers. A doctor from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed that the injuries were non-accidental and caused by repeated forceful strikes.
As part of his sentence, Tennant is prohibited from having unsupervised contact with his children and is restricted from interacting with any children under the age of 18. District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller emphasized the commitment to aggressively prosecute child abuse cases and commended the prosecution team and law enforcement for their work. Tennant’s time in prison will allow him plenty of opportunity to reflect on his actions.
