Family will be 'shocked and deeply disappointed' if child abuser doesn't serve full sentence

UTAH STATE PRISON — For five years, Becca Morales attempted to get justice for her nephew, Gabriel.

But if there is any silver lining for waiting that long, Morales said it's that she learned to harbor no ill will toward Robbie Michael Macdonald, the man sentenced in May to up to six years at the Utah State Prison for severely abusing Gabriel.

"Those five years were a gift in one single way. I was given the time to practice forgiveness for Robbie. I made myself clear at his sentencing hearing, should he decide to confront the full extent of the pain and the loss that he has caused, he may do so without the weight of my resentment," Morales said. "And while I no longer hold any resentment toward him, I do struggle to know if any remorse is genuine when he now stands so much to gain from it."

Speaking Tuesday before a member of the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole during Macdonald's first parole hearing, Morales also made it clear that forgiveness did not mean she wanted him to be released early.

"Our family would be shocked and deeply disappointed if the board felt his rehabilitative needs had been met in 18 short months when he has taken a lifetime from Gabriel," she said in a recording of the hearing.

Macdonald is serving time at the Utah State Prison for convictions of child abuse in one case and drug distribution in another. The child abuse charge was filed in 2013 but moved slowly through the court system as Macdonald continued to deny he abused Gabriel.

In January of 2013, Gabriel, then 10-months-old, was at home with his mother's boyfriend, Macdonald, when police say he shook the boy, causing a severe brain injury.

At his parole hearing, Morales said Gabriel, now 6 1/2 years old, "is a bright and a joyful boy despite his limitations" and loves the sound of birds and opera music.

But Gabriel, who needs care around the clock, has also had 10 surgeries, is nearly blind due to the injuries he sustained, is nonverbal, has to eat through a tube, and has a tube in his spine to help with muscle tone, Morales said.

"If Primary Children's had a punch card, we'd be set," said Morales, who managed to make a joke in-between tears while recounting to the board what Gabriel and the family have been through.

Morales was emotional as she described how hard it was for the family when deciding whether each ensuing surgery for her nephew would be doing more harm than good.

Related:

Man sentenced to prison for shaking girlfriend’s baby

Becca Morales has helped care for her nephew Gabriel ever since he suffered terrible abuse at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend. Five years later, and after many ups and downs in the judicial system, Morales and other family members finally have a sense of closure.

Doctors concluded that Gabriel's injuries, "could only be caused by violent and intentional shaking," Morales said.

But even at sentencing, Macdonald continued to insist that he accidentally dropped the boy.

To this day, Morales does not believe Macdonald has taken full responsibility for what he did, and feared any apologies or admission of guilt at this point would be futile.

"Unfortunately, any expressions of remorse at this point seem somewhat long overdue and disingenuous. We waited five years for resolution in this case," she told the board.

When it was Macdonald's turn to speak to board member Denise Porter, he continued to insist he tripped on a rug that night while attempting to put Gabriel in his crib, propelling him about four feet to the floor.

"It is just as I said. I did drop Gabriel. And that is the honest truth," he told her.

"And you understand that from medical experts, that they don't believe that is medically likely?" Porter questioned. "How do you explain that?"

"I can't, because I'm no expert," replied Macdonald who spoke slowly and softly during the hearing.

Macdonald added that it "might be no consolation at all," but he offered an apology to Morales and Gabriel's family.

"I do have a profound amount of remorse and I always have. And just because I was trying to fight my charges didn't mean that I didn't, although I can see how it made it seem that way," he said.

Porter noted during the hearing that Macdonald's sentencing guidelines suggest he serve a minimum of 18 months in prison. The judge who sentenced him recommended he serve his entire sentence.

The full five member board was expected in a week or two to make a decision whether to grant parole, set a rehearing or let Macdonald serve his full sentence.

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