TEHRAN, May 15 - Yoselyn Ortega, a New York City nanny who stabbed two young children to death in 2012 has been sentenced to life in prison without parole while the slain children’s father argued she should "live, rot and die" behind bars.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) – Ortega had been working for Marina and Kevin Krim for nearly two years when she took the children to a bathroom of their apartment and stabbed 6-year-old Lulu and 2-year-old Leo to death in October of 2012.
Marina Krim came home that day with her then-3-year-old daughter Nessie and opened her bathroom door to find "the bloodied, lifeless bodies of her 6-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son ... their eyes open, covered in blood," according to Assistant District Attorney Courtney Groves.
“I’m very sorry for everything that happened,” Ortega said tearfully in Spanish. It was a rare display of emotion by Ortega, who during the six-week trial remained stoic, even during graphic testimony.
Ortega, who was found guilty last month on two counts each of first-degree and second-degree murder, had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
Her defense attorney, Valerie Van Leer-Greenberg, argued she was "suffering from severe psychosis" and "dissociation" at the time of the killings.
Stuart Silberg, the lead prosecutor, urged the judge to sentence her to life without parole.
“This defendant has to this day shown no remorse. She has never shed a tear for the children,” he said on Monday. “Make sure the defendant never has hope of being free.”
The children’s father had also asked the judge to sentence Ortega to the maximum penalty to ensure “that the defendant can never leave prison alive. The defendant knows nothing of responsibility or remorse. It is right that she should live and rot and die in a concrete and metal cage.”
Law has shortcomings: Ortega family should be punished
The Krims also put responsibility on Ortega's family and said they lied about the nanny's background and faked a reference to make her appear qualified so she would be hired.
However because of legal shortcomings the Ortega family will not be held responsible for their possible influence in the murder.
The Krims are pushing to make it a crime to falsify job applications and references for someone working in childcare.
"Lulu and Leo's law" has been introduced in the New York state legislature "in direct response" to this case, Kevin Krim said.
Marina Krim said during the trial Ortega's son called his mother's crimes an "accident" and said he winked and grinned at the jury "as if it was some kind of reality TV show."
Marina Krim said calling the killings an "accident" shows Oretega's family has "still not taken responsibility for their roles in these murders. They're still trying to cover up for her and themselves."
Source: Press TV
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