A Moorhead caregiver was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the 2024 beating death of 3-year-old Eastyn Deronjic. The punishment caps a long and wrenching case that began when emergency crews found the boy unresponsive on March 18, 2024. Clay County District Court was packed with family members, who delivered emotional impact statements about Eastyn's warmth and how his death shattered their extended family.
Sentence And Plea
Shiann Lynn Erickson, 24, pleaded guilty in April to second-degree murder and on Wednesday received a 180-month term, roughly 15 years, in Clay County District Court. Court records show prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to recommend a sentence between 128 and 180 months. The defense pushed for the low end of that range, while the judge went with the high end, according to Valley News Live. Local reporting also notes the court granted Erickson credit for time she has already served behind bars.
Investigation And Autopsy
Emergency responders were called to an apartment in the 1500 block of Belsly Boulevard on March 18, 2024, after a 911 call reporting an unresponsive child. Officers found Eastyn with heavy bruising, and he was rushed to Sanford Hospital, where he later died, according to the Moorhead Police Department. A final autopsy released in July 2025 documented 28 blunt-force injuries and concluded that the manner of death was homicide from a torn bowel caused by assault, as detailed by InForum and the Moorhead Police Department.
Co-Defendant's Earlier Plea
Eastyn's other caregiver, Mason Garza, pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to 20 years in May 2025 under a plea agreement in Clay County Court. Local coverage of Garza's plea and sentencing is available via KSTP and other outlets, which reported that family members were outraged by the length of his prison term.
Family Reaction And The Defense
Relatives told the court Erickson's sentence offers a measure of closure but falls short of what they would call justice. Several family members read victim impact statements describing Eastyn as bright, funny, and deeply loved. In mitigation, the defense submitted a clinical forensic evaluation outlining mental health concerns, including PTSD and trauma tied to Erickson's relationship with Garza. Erickson also wrote a handwritten letter to the court saying she takes "full accountability for failing to protect Eastyn," as reported by Valley News Live.
What Comes Next
Erickson will now be transferred to the Minnesota Department of Corrections to begin serving her state sentence, with the exact calculation of time served handled through court records. Reporters and local officials say the case has raised difficult questions about how informal caregiving arrangements are monitored and whether social service interventions should change in response. InForum has additional coverage of Garza's earlier plea and sentencing and the broader community reaction.
