WALL TOWNSHIP – A 23-year-old Wall Township man has pleaded guilty to Aggravated Manslaughter for the death of his six-week-old baby girl, officials said.
On March 9, 2019, officers from the Wall Township Police Department responded to a home with an unresponsive six-week-old infant. During that time, the baby was in the immediate care of her father, 23-year-old Austin Meli of Wall Township.
The child was pronounced deceased at Ocean Medical Center in Brick. It was later determined by officials that the manner of the baby’s death to be a homicide.
Meli is facing a sentence of 30 years New Jersey State Prison for the plea to Aggravated Manslaughter, first degree. That sentence is also subject to the No Early Release Act (NERA) which requires that he serve 85% prior to being eligible for parole. The State is also recommending that this sentence run consecutive to the sentence he is already serving.
Meli is currently serving a 10 year New Jersey State Prison sentence for Aggravated Assault, second degree, two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, second degree, and Tampering with Physical Evidence, fourth degree, charges which related to the physical abuse of his other child. Meli’s sentence for those charges is also subject to an 85% period of parole ineligibility pursuant to the No Early Release Act.
