Woman sentenced to 30 years for daughter's death

Thursday, April 24, 2014

INVERNESS -- A judged handed down a maximum sentence for Chelsea Huggett, the mother who admitted to killing her 2-year-old daughter last year.

Judge Richard Howard gave Huggett the maximum sentence of 30 years.

"There is not a square inch of this child's face that's not beat to hell for lack of a better word," said Howard.

Before Huggett's sentence was handed down, her mother and sister both asked the judge for the maximum sentence.

"Please sentence Aliyah's killer to the maximum of 30 years so she can have justice," said mother Bonnie Huggett.

"It takes a soulless person to harm a child and a demon to harm their own flesh and blood," said sister Sarah Huggett.

The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse earlier this year in the death of her daughter.

Officials say she shook 2-year-old Aliyah Brandum and hit her head against the wall in May 2013. At the time of her death, the child had bruises all over her body, including her face, head, arms, legs, back and shoulders, deputies said.

Huggett, who was eight months pregnant at the time of her arrest, gave birth to another daughter last May.

"Very difficult because a child I gave birth to killed her child and that was very hard," said Bonnie Huggett.

Huggett's mother and father have started an organization called Aliyah's Project. They want to educate and help other mothers who are having a difficult time.
(From Murderpedia)