Couple sentenced to 7 years in prison

Stepfather Mohammed L and mother Pamela C were each sentenced to 7 years in prison over the abuse of 4-year-old Damian Changa which resulted in his death. Judge Cynthia Valstein-Montnor added an extra year to each sentence. The prosecution had reportedly demanded that each defendant be sentenced to 6 years in prison. Despite the fact that the stepfather kept denying that he had hit the child, the judge deemed it proven that he had hit his stepson with a ruler and a wooden spoon. The boy was rushed to the hospital after he had fallen into a coma. He died at the hospital. He reportedly had injuries at his head and he also had old injuries at his arm and upper leg.

The judge referred to the statement of Mohammed L’s brother who had told the police that he heard the child being hit on a daily basis. He had also seen how the boy’s mouth was taped shut and how he was thrown against the wall. One time he also saw the boy with blue eyes. The psychological report indicates that Mohammed L is very intelligent but that he had shown little emotion when the boy died. The grandmother had also testified that the defendants hit the boy whenever he pooped his pants.

Judge Valstein-Montnor made it clear to Pamela C that although she had not had an easy youth she should have protected her child. The woman reportedly has two other children who are in a children’s home.

Irene Lalji, defense attorney of Mohammed L, will lodge an appeal. She pointed out that the judge had made an emotional ruling in this case. She also pointed out that her client’s brother had told the court that the statement he had given to the police was a lie but that the judge nevertheless referred to his statement before announcing the verdict.