Gardnerville resident Alex Seeber, who hit infant son, receives up to 12 years in prison

A Gardnerville man was sentenced to up to 12 years in prison for striking his infant child.

Alex Seeber told Judge Dave Gamble that he hoped to hold his son again one day.

"I know I messed up," the 19-year-old said. "All I want to be is a father figure. I'd do anything just to hold him and see him smile. I want to put all this behind me and show everyone I'm not a bad person, I just messed up.

Gamble sentenced Seeber to 57-144 months in Nevada State Prison on one count of child abuse or neglect causing substantial bodily harm.

Seeber's attorney Tod Young sought a continuance of the hearing to further evaluate his client's mental state, but Seeber overrode him.

In sentencing Seeber, Gamble said the defendant responded to stress with violence.

"I don't have any hope at all that you'll have any relationship with this child because you don't deserve it," Gamble said.

Seeber faced up to 20 years after pleading guilty to the charge.

Seeber's son was taken by helicopter to Renown Regional Medical Center on March 9 after Seeber allegedly slapped the baby because he was crying.

The infant underwent emergency neurosurgery to remove a 7 mm blood clot on his brain.

He suffered seizures and a stroke following the incident.

Officials said at a hearing in March that the child displayed injuries associated with shaken baby syndrome including broken ribs and retinal hemorrhaging. In April, the child's grandmother said he and his 17-year-old mother moved to Las Vegas where they were living with the baby's great-grandmother.