Man Who Killed His Son Gets 10 Years -- Judge Attacks Prosecutors For Letting Girlfriend Off Easy In Abuse Slaying

A King County judge today called the life and death of 3-year-old Kevin Hoffman ``a living hell'' and sentenced his father to 10 years in prison for beating him to death in 1988.

Superior Court Judge Susan Agid's punishment for Thaddeus Hoffman, 22, of Auburn, was the maximum she could give on a first-degree manslaughter conviction.

But Agid was sharply critical of prosecutors for being so lenient with Hoffman's live-in girlfriend, Heidi Henricksen. Several jurors also had written that they were upset that Hendricksen, who was not the boy's mother, did not bear more of blame.

Deputy Prosecutor Jeanne Tweten had contended that Hoffman beat the boy fatally after finding he had bitten Hendricksen.

Hendricksen entered a guilty plea to a charge of second-degree manslaughter, and served several months in jail, as part of a plea bargain in which she agreed to testify against Hoffman. Tweten said after today's hearing it would have been impossible to convict Hoffman without Hendricksen's testimony.

Judge Agid said she had ``agonized for weeks'' over the proper punishment for Hoffman. She said she did not blame Hoffman for feeling anguish at having to shoulder much of the blame.

``I also believe Heidi Hendricksen had a major part in that living hell . . . nobody knows what really happened,'' Agid said. ``But just because Heidi Hendricksen got away with something doesn't mean I should do the same with you.''

Hoffman had already served about two years in prison for assault of Kevin in an unrelated incident. Kevin died two days after receiving six blows to his head at Hoffman's Auburn apartment.

Agid said she believed Kevin had been beaten over a period of weeks and that both of the adults killed the boy.

``Kevin's death was a living hell. . . . Thad Hoffman unquestionably was a major contributor to that living hell and ultimately to Kevin's death. Mr. Hoffman, you killed that child.'

Agid said she believes Hoffman feels remorse - but for himself.

Testimony showed Hoffman sought custody of the boy from the mother, Dorothy Wheeler, because he wanted more money to go to school and thought he could get it from state funds.

Hoffman, wiping away tears, told the court that he did not cause the injuries that killed the boy. ``I loved my son very much,'' he said.

Hoffman's mother, Judy Hoffman, had told the judge that ``we, too, lost someone very dear and special to us. I truly believe in my heart that Thad did not do it.''

Wheeler, who was living in South King County at the time of the boy's death, was not at the sentencing.