SARASOTA, Fla. -- The grandmother of baby Chance Walsh provided powerful testimony as her daughter was sentenced to 25 years in prison for her role in the infant's death.
As part of a deal, Kristen Bury pleaded no-contest to Aggravated Manslaughter. But in turn, she must testify against Chance's father, Joseph Walsh, who's charged with Second Degree Murder.
Prosecutors say the couple buried chance in a wooded area in North Port last September after Joseph Walsh allegedly beat him to death.
At a sentencing hearing in a Sarasota courtroom Wednesday morning, Bury collapsed into tears as she faced the judge over the death of her infant son. Bury pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in exchange for a 25 year prison sentence.
Deputies say Joseph Walsh beat the 8-week-old to death in September, then the couple reportedly left baby Chance in his crib for eight days decomposing before eventually burying him in a wooded area 13 miles from their North Port home.
In the court room Wednesday, Kristen's parents both spoke after her sentencing.
"She lacks the most basic instinct that defines us as human beings: a mother's instinct to love and protect her young at all costs," said Sally Murawski, Kristen's mother.
She says her daughter grew up in a loving old-fashioned family and was not the victim of neglect or a dysfunctional family. But says she has consistently made bad choices in her adult life to get her to this point. "By her actions, she made a conscious choice that day to let my defenseless tiny grandson, Chance, die a horrible death. Choosing an abusive husband over drugs and over the life of her own child."
Both grandparents emphasized Baby Chance would still be alive if they could have had more rights over the baby. Laws they argue, need to be changed in Florida. "I don't ever want to see anyone have to go through this pain again."
Joseph Walsh is being held without bond on both Child Neglect and Second Degree Murder charges.
