Manahawkin Man Who Sexually Assaulted, Killed Baby Gets Life In Prison

CAMDEN, NJ — A Manahawkin man convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering his girlfriend's 23-month-old daughter has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Michael Disporto, 30, was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault and first-degree murder in Oct. 2023 in connection with the 2016 death of the toddler, called A.S., Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay and Gloucester City Chief Brian Morrell said.

Disporto, who was not the girl's father, was sentenced on Oct. 10, 2024. He also received a consecutive term of 40 years for the aggravated sexual assault charge.

In July 2016, Gloucester City police were alerted about an unresponsive child. The child, A.S., was taken to Cooper University Hospital, where she was found to have suffered "extensive injuries" and showed signs of being sexually abused, authorities said.

The baby was pronounced dead two days later. Her death was ruled a homicide and the cause of death was blunt force trauma, officials said.

Disporto and the girl's mother, Amber Bobo, had been dating for two weeks before the child's death, according to officials.

The two picked up her child from the biological father’s house and took her to Bobo’s home in Gloucester City on July 2, 2016, according to a probable cause statement. Later that night, Disporto took the girl to the park and the fireworks by himself, spending about 45 minutes alone with her in an effort to "get to know her better." Bobo said she was too tired to go with them.

Police say Disporto sexually assaulted the girl, and convinced Bobo not to take her to a hospital after she noticed bruising on her body, or after she vomited several times over the next few days.

Bobo eventually took her daughter to the hospital, where she underwent immediate brain surgery. Following the surgery, she was examined for brain activity twice on July 5. Doctors said there was no brain activity either time before she was taken off life support at 6:26 p.m. that day.

This article contains additional reporting by former Patch reporter Anthony Bellano.