28-year-old Lin Li from Brooklyn was sentenced to 18 years in jail after she drowned her 2-year-old daughter for wetting herself.
In 2019, the mother-of-two was convicted of manslaughter and two counts of acting in a way injurious to a child in the death of Melody Zheng. However, she was then acquitted of second-degree murder.
Li was also found guilty of first-degree attempted assault for holding her 4-year-old son’s head under water one day before taking Melody’s life.
During her sentencing, her lawyer said she had ‘tough upbringing’ in her native China.
Attorney Mario Romano also spoke of Li’s deplorable living conditions in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn, where the family live in a flat and had to share a bathroom with other people.
He also described the mother-of-two as a “loving, caring” mother and said she “blames herself every day,” adding: “I did not see the actions of a monster in what I read.”
The tearful mother spoke through a translator: “I would like to say being a mom, it is my duty to take care of my children, and I really regret my daughter’s death.
“It was my mistake…losing my daughter is very, very painful to me.”
Lu also said to Kings County Supreme Court Judge Deborah Dowling: “no matter how much time you’re going to sentence me to jail (for).. I will accept it.”
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzales said: “This defendant had a duty to care for her children and to keep them safe, but instead she used inexplicable and dangerous methods to discipline them – and caused the violent death her daughter.
“Nothing can bring back little Melody, who had an entire life ahead of her. But, with today’s sentence, we have obtained a measure of justice in this terribly tragic case.”
One internet user commented: “You regret it now.. but you didn’t care when you killed a poor defenseless child. Have fun in prison. Evil woman.”
Another wrote: “If you don’t want your child, put it up for adoption – why kill it? Someone will love the child and give it a wonderful life.”
A third added: “You may regret it now but you didn’t at the time you murdered your child.”
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Replaced!