A South Carolina judge unloaded on a man convicted of kidnapping a 4-year-old girl and severely beating her mother during an incident in February 2018.
According to WCBD, Thomas Lawton Evans Jr. was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences and U.S. District Court Judge David Norton made it clear what he thought of the someone capable of committing such heinous crimes.
“He’s a sorry excuse for a human being, get him out of here,” the judge said.
Norton described the “random, brutal and senseless” crime as the single worst act he has seen in nearly three decades as a judge.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Evans was arrested on suspicion of beating Brittany Todd nearly to death and robbing the family before abducting her daughter, Heidi. Officials said at the time that the man did not know the victims.
Police said he took the young girl across state lines and sexually assaulted her, ultimately ending up behind bars in Mississippi.
Brittany Todd, who sustained serious injuries requiring three surgeries, was among those in the courtroom for her attacker’s sentencing.
“Nothing in my life runs the same in my family like before February 13,” she said.
In addition to racking up a six-figure medical bill, she said she was unable to care for her children for four months.
“You planned evil against me, but I truly believe God spared your life and my life,” she said in reference to Evans. “I will never get back what I lost, but I’m moving forward.”
Her husband, Kevin, said he “went into an evil space” after the crimes against his family and “wanted to do terrible things” to the man responsible.
He told Evans that he “did not win,” citing his family’s faith in God for their ability to persevere.
“My ultimate goal is to forgive you,” he said.
[Featured image: Thomas Lawton Evans Jr., police handout]
