Paul Thomas, from WDBJ7
PULASKI, Va. (AP) _ A Virginia man whose 5-year-old son who was found dead in a septic tank has been sentenced to a year and three months in jail for child abuse and neglect. Media outlets report that 32-year-old Paul Thomas entered an Alford plea on two counts Wednesday in Pulaski County Circuit Court. In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges sufficient evidence for a conviction. Noah Thomas and his infant sister were left alone while their mother, 31-year-old Ashley White, drove their father to work last March. White says Noah disappeared after she returned home and took a nap.
