A Jeffersonville man was sentenced to three years in prison this week for his role in allowing his 3-year-old daughter to be badly beaten.

On Feb. 20 in Fayette County Common Pleas Court, David M.P. Groves, 21, pled guilty to endangering children, a felony of the third degree. The Fayette County Prosecutor’s Office dismissed a count of felonious assault and two other counts of endangering children against Groves.

On Monday, Common Pleas Court Judge Steven Beathard sentenced Groves to three years in the appropriate correction institution. He will be subject to a three-year mandatory period of supervision by the Adult Parole Authority after he is released from prison.

His wife and the victim’s stepmother, Laryssa J. Groves, 23, is still facing charges of second-degree felonious assault, second-degree felony endangering children, and two counts of third-degree felony endangering children. On each count of endangering children, the grand jurors further found and specified that the violations that allegedly occurred on Nov. 19 “resulted in serious physical harm to the child.” Her trial date is set for April 21.

According to prosecutor Jess Weade, the state felt it may not have been able to prove that David Groves actually took part in the assault of his daughter. However, Weade added that he at least let the assault occur.

As previously reported by the Record-Herald, on Nov. 19 Laryssa Groves took her 3-year-old stepdaughter to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus due to injuries the girl had sustained, according to Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth. The child reportedly had severe bruising and swelling around the face, head, neck and back areas.

Fayette County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) Sgt. Chuck Kyle, the investigator on the case, said the injuries sustained were “by far the worst I’ve ever seen to a child.” A Nationwide doctor reportedly told authorities that the injuries were “not accidental.”

The FCSO initiated an investigation and two “forensic interviews” with the child were conducted.

Laryssa Groves, of 371 Yorkshire Drive, was arrested on Dec. 4 and charged. Then on Dec. 10, her husband, David M.P. Groves, was also charged.

Reach Ryan Carter at 740-313-0352.