Rock Hill Teen Sentenced In Death Of Baby

YORK, S.C. — A judge sentenced a teen in the death of his baby brother Tuesday.

Prosecutors say 17-year-old Matt Morgan set fire to his family’s trailer March 6, killing his 14-month-old brother, Josh Hill.

A York county judge sentenced Matt Morgan to 15 years in prison Tuesday as part of a plea deal.

His parents spoke to WCCB Charlotte after visiting him in jail after sentencing.

“He said in the courtroom, that was his best friend. There’s no way he’d’ hurt him,” said Julie Hill, the boys’ mother.

Investigators say Morgan told deputies on March 6, he was babysitting his baby brother, Josh Hill, when he woke up from a nap to flames. He said he tried to save the baby, but the fire was too powerful.

“He feels horrible that this happened to his brother,” said Julie Hill. “He cries every time he thinks about it.”

Days after the fire, deputies say the teen admitted to setting the flames. He parents say that was only after hours on interrogation.

“An hour or so with me, and I can have him saying any story I want him to, and I’m his dad,” said Myke Hill. “So, how is it going to be for him with three cops with guns?”

The teen’s parents say he has developmental delays. The court found him competent Tuesday. The taped confession does not exist. South Carolina does not require investigators to record interrogations.

“If there were recordings of police interrogations, then this wouldn’t have happened,” said Julie Hill.

That’s one reason why she says her son agreed to a plea deal of 15 ears for involuntary manslaughter and unlawful conduct to a child. “We don’t want to see this happen to any other family,” said Julie Hill.

The family plans to petition lawmakers to change the state’s interrogation laws.