NJ man gets life in prison for rape, murder of toddler girl

⬛ NJ man convicted of toddler’s sex assault, murder

⬛ Conviction followed earlier mistrial

⬛ 30-year-old man gets life sentence, no parole

A 30-year-old Manahawkin man will now spend the rest of his life in prison for the rape and murder of a toddler girl, Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay confirmed.

A year ago, Michael Disporto was found guilty by a Camden County Superior Court jury of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual assault in the brutal killing of 23-month-old Ariana Smyth.

That followed a 2019 mistrial, when a previous jury was deadlocked after a week of deliberating the vicious crimes against Disporto, NJ.com reported.

He received his sentence on Thursday.

Victim's mother agreed to testify against killer

The young victim was the daughter of Disporto’s then-new girlfriend, Amber Bobo.

Bobo had noticed her daughter's injuries but delayed seeking medical help, after being waved off by Disporto, the Associated Press previously reported.

On July 3, 2016, Gloucester City Police officers responded to a report of an unresponsive child.

Smyth later died at Cooper University Hospital of blunt force trauma, 10 days short of her second birthday.

She had also suffered internal and genital injuries, and severe bruising, according to harrowing testimony.

In 2017, Bobo pleaded guilty to child endangerment and agreed to testify against Disporto, after serving at least 15-months of her own sentence, NJ.com previously reported.

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