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(Cleveland) Matthew Ponomarenko of Parma was in court on Thursday to change his not guilty plea to guilty for the murder of his 5-year-old son Jax in March of 2021. Ponomarenko has beat his son to death with a baseball bat, after which he called 9-1-1 and told the dispatcher that voices he was hearing in his head told him to do it. Today, the 34-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder, one count of kidnapping, and one count of endangering children. Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Michael Russo imposed an agreed upon sentence of 45 year to life. At one point during Thursday's proceedings, Ponomarenko let out a scream and had to be removed from the courtroom when the prosecution displayed a large photo of a happy smiling Jax. When given an opportunity to speak, Ponomarenko offered a tearful apology.
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