An Alpine man who is servÂing a 25-year sentence for killÂing his girlfriend’s 19-month-old son has received a concurÂrent prison term for injuring his pet Chihuahua.
No additional prison time was imposed to Brett Brown, 32, by El Cajon Superior Court Judge John Thompson. Brown pleaded guilty to committing animal abuse, and this charge was separate than the one inÂvolving the Jan. 11, 2016, death of Lucas Orlando.
The jury, which convicted Brown Sept. 12 of second-deÂgree murder and assault upon a child, did not know of the animal abuse charge which ocÂcurred before Lucas was also injured. Dried dog blood was found in his apartment, but the dog did survive.
Brown has been in jail since he was charged in 2016 with the boy’s death and he was givÂen credit for 1,057 days in DeÂcember. The 25-year sentence was given for the child assault conviction.
Brown’s attorney argued to jurors he was holding Lucas when he stumbled on someÂthing and fell on top of Lucas, causing traumatic injuries to the boy. Brown called 911, but didn’t give that story to paraÂmedics and sheriff’s deputies. He said Lucas had fallen from the couch onto the floor.
His ex-girlfriend, Renee Fournier, 30, testified against him after she pleaded guilty to child endangerment. She was ordered to attend a 52-week child rearing class and was placed on four years probation.
