Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – A woman who pleaded guilty to killing her newborn baby and dropping her body in a Liverpool dumpster will spend the next 13 years in prison.
Nicole DeJaynes was sentenced Monday morning. Earlier this month, she pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree.
DeJaynes spoke at the sentencing, saying she was remorseful. She told the court, "I am not a monster," and said, "I accept full responsibility, but I did not harm my little girl."
She entered what is called an Alford plea, meaning she pleaded guilty, but did not admit that she did what the prosecution contends.
A medical examiner’s report stated the baby was born alive and the cause of death was suffocation.
Police said DeJaynes, who was 29 years old at the time, suffocated the child before dumping her body on January 6, 2011 at the dumpster outside an apartment complex on Pearl Street in Liverpool.
DeJaynes’ defense attorneys had argued the woman thought the child was already dead and she panicked and then disposed of her body.
Police named the infant Isabella Marie and held a funeral service for her in March, 2011.
DeJaynes accepted a plea bargain in the case. She had been facing a second degree murder charge.
