Dad gets prison in boy's shooting death by son, 4

Kathleen Hopkins | The Asbury Park (N.J.) Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Dad gets prison after son, 4, fatally shoots friend The dad who accepted responsibility for the fatal shooting of his 6-year-old neighbor by his 4-year-old son, was sentenced to three years in prison for leaving the loaded rifle that killed the boy unsecured.

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A father who accepted responsibility for the fatal shooting of his 6-year-old neighbor by his 4-year-old son was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison for leaving the loaded rifle that killed the boy unsecured and accessible to the children in his home.

Before Anthony Senatore, 35, was sentenced for his role in the 2013 shooting death of Brandon Holt, he told Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels that his lapse in judgment will haunt two families forever.

"The events of April 8, 2013, have left a permanent mark in the life of two families who could not have imagined that such a horrific event would occur,'' Senatore said, adding that he thinks about the tragedy all day, every day.

"Although I will be sentenced this morning to a term of imprisonment, the torment of these thoughts will occupy me throughout my existence on this earth,'' Senatore said.

"Brandon played with my own three children regularly and was a guest in my home on many occasions, including many times for dinner,'' Senatore said. "We considered him part of our family.

"I cannot begin to fathom the loss of any of my children,'' he said. "Therefore, I cannot imagine the depth of pain and sorrow that (Brandon's parents,) Ron and Christine (Holt) experience on a daily basis.''

Christine Holt shed some light on that, addressing the judge before Senatore was sentenced.

"On April 9, 2103, we had to watch my sweet, beautiful, 6-year-old boy take his last breath,'' she said, tearfully.

"We used to imagine what he would be like when he got older and grew up,'' Christine Holt said. "Now all we can do is imagine what he could have been.''

The unspeakable tragedy occurred on April 8, 2013, when Senatore's 4-year old son gained access to a loaded rifle in his father's bedroom and fired a single shot into the 6-year-old's head. Brandon was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he died the following day.

The loaded rifle wasn't the only firearm left unsecured in Senatore's house that day, authorities said. There also were four shotguns, with ammunition nearby, in the Senatore home, accessible to his children, who were ages 12, 8 and 4 at the time of Brandon's death, authorities said.

"These guns were lying around the house in close proximity to ammunition,'' Diane Ruberton, first assistant Atlantic County prosecutor, told the judge.

She said Brandon's death was "100 percent preventable.''

Senatore accepted responsibility for the death when he pleaded guilty Oct. 30 to two counts of child endangerment. He admitted then that his actions not only harmed Brandon, but endangered his own children.

His attorney, Robert Ebberup, said Thursday that Senatore had retrieved the loaded rifle from a gun locker sometime before the tragedy, upon hearing a noise in the middle of the night.

"He left that gun under his bed for what he thought would be a couple of days, just in case that noise was an intruder trying to come into his house,'' Ebberup said. "However he forgot that it was there, and we know the rest.''

Senatore explained that he is a sportsman who enjoys hunting and fishing.

"I want you to know that I am not a monster, as some have portrayed me to be,'' he said.

"Each and every one of us have hobbies and other recreational activities that we pursue,'' Senatore said. "I am no different than any other person in that respect, but for one horrible mistake, one terrible lapse in judgment, which will define the remainder of my days.''

Christine Holt said that while there are no guns in her family's home, she wrestles with guilt every day.

"I still deal with it every day that I couldn't protect him, I couldn't save him,'' she said, tearfully. "I would have done anything to be able to.''

The judge, in imposing the sentence, noted, "Both sides are in great pain and are deeply suffering.''

He agreed to go along with a plea bargain that called for the 3-year prison term. Without the plea bargain, Senatore could have faced five to 10 years in prison. Ruberton said the plea agreement was reached because the Holt family had concerns about the hardships to Senatore's own children.

The case was prosecuted by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office because Senatore's family has ties to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.