Staff Report / August 4, 2026
ELMIRA, N.Y. — A Chemung County man will spend at least 18 years behind bars following his sentencing Monday for the murder of a three-year-old child last fall.
Christopher Woods, 28, of Horseheads, was sentenced in Chemung County Court after pleading guilty in July 2026 to second-degree murder. Woods entered the guilty plea in the middle of jury selection just as his trial was set to begin.
Key details surrounding the case and sentencing include:
- Incident Details: Investigators reported that in September 2025, Woods became frustrated with the toddler for crying during nap time, picked the child up, and slammed him onto the floor twice.
- Delayed Emergency Care: After the assault, Woods put the child to bed and later moved him to a couch. He waited several hours before taking the toddler to an emergency room, where the boy was pronounced dead.
- Autopsy Findings: An autopsy concluded that the three-year-old died from blunt force trauma to the back of the head.
- Prison Sentence: Under the terms of the plea agreement, Woods was sentenced to serve 18 years to life in state prison.
