In Idaho, Stanfield must serve at least 10 years in prison for child's 2009 death | Shaken Baby Syndrome

A 59-year-old Boise woman who was reportedly found guilty of causing fatal injuries to a 2.5-year-old boy who was left in her care in late 2009 was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday afternoon in Boise's Fourth District Court.

Prosecutors reportedly asked for life with 30 years fixed, but Judge Ronald J. Wilper sentenced her to life in prison, saying she must serve 10 years before asking for parole. She was given credit for 93 days served.

Wilper reportedly also ordered her to pay $19,000 in restitution.

Stanfield reportedly opted not to speak in court Tuesday. Instead, she had public defender Ed Odessey read a written statement.

In the statement, Stanfield offered sympathy — but no apology — for the death of the boy who was in her care. She also did not admit any guilt in causing injuries to the boy, saying that "I would never cause harm on anyone or anything, as that is not who I am."

On June 4, an Ada County jury found Stanfield guilty of first-degree murder for the death of Wyatt Fesler, the son of her daughter's boyfriend.

Fesler was at Stanfield's home daycare in Boise on Dec. 11, 2009.

Paramedics were called to the home, and the boy was found unresponsive. He died two days later.

A prosecutor reportedly told the jury during closing arguments in June that forensic evidence clearly showed that Wyatt died from abusive head trauma — the kind that occurs when someone is upset, grabs a toddler from behind and violently shoves the child's head into a hard object.

The prosecutor reportedly said that medical tests found that Wyatt had fresh impact injuries to his forehead, mouth and under the chin, along with evidence of hand marks on his shoulders. There was evidence of older bruising on the boy, consistent with previous abuse.

Stanfield and her family, who have reportedly maintained her innocence since her arrest in 2010, said Wyatt was prone to holding his breath and to fainting. His fatal injuries likely occurred when he fell and hit his head, they said.

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/08/21/2240096/stanfield-must-serve-at-least.html#storylink=cpy

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