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Woman who tortured, killed stepdaughter sentenced to prison; police describe killer as monster

What a horrible existence for such a young person. I don't think anything could be done to these two evil people that would come close to the terror they subjected poor Shelby to. May she rest in peace.

I personally believe that that lady ought to be locked away forever. Killing a mere child is something that is totally unforgivable. A child of pure innocence didn't deserve such an end as that.

Shelby is an innocent child - a Child of our Most-High God. Her murderer's should both be receive the same punishment they inflicted on her, if not more. They are obviously uncaring very selfish individuals. Having no compassion nor love for this innocent baby girl, they themselves deserve no compassion nor care. I pray they will receive their just rewards for their actions against this child.

People who commit acts like this on anyone, let alone a child, do not deserve anything. A lifetime sentence in prison would be FAR too lenient. People who willing hurt children and torture them should be completely separated from other members of society.

This story about these so-called adults is repulsing. These �adults� surely earned their trip to the big house. However, a lovely little girl had to pay the price. Sad. How sad. Why are so many adults, parents and step-parents at war with children?

Too bad it couldn't have been charged as a capital offense. This one deserves the death penalty. I suppose that is one good thing that came of poor Shelby's suffering... stricter laws for an abuser that kills a child. What horrible things that Shelby had to endure at the hands of that woman! Hopefully the 'life' sentence truly will be life behind bars and not a mere 15 years. Let Angela think long and hard in a tiny cell for the next 40 or 50 years about what she took away from Shelby.

I hope these two waste away in prison and never smell freedom again.

I hope both of these individuals are never paroled from prison. They should rot there. They did the most brutal things to this poor little child. It's very sad to read everything in the confession. They are real sick individuals with no heart. It's too bad someone didn't see what was going on in this family and get her out of the abusive situation before it was too late.

I wish there were some way to inflict on these two reprobates some measure of what they inflected on this little girl. Hopefully, they will at least serve every day in prison of their sentence, which in this case ought to be their entire lives.

This whole thing just puts me beyond words. I am so grateful that those two people, who should have protected Shelby, will now spend the rest of their lives in prison (provided the parole board refuses to release them after 15 years).
And it is gratifing that the other children do not have to go thru a trial and re-live this.
Rest in peace, Shelby.

I wonder how much hate these two hat bottled up within themselves that they would do this do the child they were supposed to protect. No punishment they will receive in this life will ever equal the punishment God will have for them, even with all his mercy and grace.

Life isn't long enough for what she did to that child. I think what she did to Shelby should be done to her.

I wish the sentence were much, much harsher!

How could something like this avoid capital murder charges? It is clearly pre-meditated and a long way from mere negligence. This is not just murder of an innocent child, it is torture. Perpetrators such as these should NEVER be free in society. They are obviously too sick!

Let's hope that this woman and also Shelby's father stay in prison for the longest possible time, hopefully life, and not just 15 years, or less for "good behavior". Each time parole hearings come up complete details of their horrific treatment of this little girl need to be retold to the parole board, so that they understand that these people should never be allowed in civilized society again to possible inflict harm on any other human being, or any other living creature.

It would be a travesty if they were allowed out of prison at about the same time Shelby should have been happily going to college, or getting married, or having children of her own.

Ridiculous sentence for such a horrific crime and on-going treatment of a child. I understand the plea deal's purpose in not wanting the other children to have to testify but sometimes it is just plain necessary to get the perpetrator the harshest penalty available.

I would like to thank the judge and the police for side-stepping the usual P.C. song and dance and making an honest and direct statement regarding their feelings toward these people. I shudder to think what else went on if it truly is too graphic to be told to the public, because the acts described in this article already had me chilled to the bone. Bless the surviving children that they might overcome their trauma to the greatest extent possible, and may their departed sister find happiness now in a better place than she left behind.

Matthew 18:6

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

i'd never been to Syracuse but remember seeing pictures of Shelby's neighborhood on tv and thought at the time...how could such horrible things happen in that nice looking neighborhood? the picture of Shelby in this article must have been taken before the abuse got more abusive because she looks so happy in the picture. just so sad, very sad...leaves you speechless.

Shows how our society has degenerated over the past several years. Some people are just cold hearted and degenerate. The only worse thing that could happen is if people develop more of a hatred toward them or others, such as these people have. Don't misunderstand me they deserve the death penalty. But our hatred toward them only will hurt ourselves not them.