Jacarie Robinson, 12, was abused and starved to death. Now, his father's going to prison

The father of a 12-year-old boy who was found dead and malnourished in a Milwaukee home last year will be a very old man when his prison sentence ends.

Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Laura Crivello on Thursday sentenced Romuan J. Moye, 45, to a prison term of 47 1/2 years.

She ordered Moye also to serve 25 years of extended supervision when he is released.

Moye initially was charged with five felony charges, including first-degree reckless homicide , in the death of Jacarie Robinson. The boy was found dead in his home in October with a broken arm and weighing 54 pounds.

Online court records show Moye pleaded guilty to the reckless homicide charge, as well as to chronic neglect of a child where the consequence is bodily harm and failure to report the death of a child.

More: Father charged in death of malnourished 12-year-old Jacarie Robinson

What happened to Jacarie Robinson?

Jacarie was found inside his home on the 4100 block of North Elmhurst Road on Oct. 10.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office reported the boy was discovered malnourished and could have been dead for about a month.

A criminal complaint said Jacarie, who was homeschooled and had long been isolated from others, had last been seen alive some two weeks before his body was found.

Two other chronic neglect charges against Moye were dismissed by prosecutors but read into the record for sentencing purposes, court records show.

How to recognize child neglect

According to Kids Matter, Inc. , which provides services for abused and neglected children in Milwaukee County, child neglect can be recognized by physical and emotional characteristics.

Physical signs

• Poor hygiene and/or odor
• Inappropriately dressed for weather
• Unmet medical or dental care needs
• Young children left alone and unsupervised for long periods of time
• Failure to thrive
• Malnutrition
• Constant hunger, may beg or steal for food
• Acts as a parent to his/her siblings
• Arrives early and stays late at school, play areas, or other people’s homes

Emotional signs

• Extreme willingness to please
• Oldest child has a parental relationship with his/her siblings
• Is always watchful, as though waiting for something bad to happen
• Has learning problems (or problems concentrating) that cannot be attributed to specific psychological or physical causes

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jacarie Robinson, 12, was abused and starved to death. Now, his father's going to prison