WARREN, Ohio - A Warren woman who severely injured a toddler with scalding hot water has been denied an early release from prison.
Even though Amanda Hall told Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge John Stuard that she was on a path to better herself, the judge overlooked her request.
Judge Stuard upheld her three year prison term and denied her release after serving only one year behind bars.
The mother of four says she recently earned her GED and spends hours volunteering each week. "I just have a lot of tools now that I didn't before, and I just want to move forward and use those, apply them to my life now," Hall said.
Trumbull County prosecutors, Warren police and Trumbull County Children Services all pushed for the judge to deny her freedom early.
"Ms. Hall purposefully injured this child by forcefully grabbing her left arm and inflicting second and third degree burns to her hand and forearm by emerging them in scalding water," said Darleen Shope, Trumbull County Children Services.
The October 2010 injuries suffered for crying continuously have left now three-year old Teirra Houseman with emotional and physical scars according to her mother.
"I'm relieved, because she didn't get out and Teirra doesn't have to go through life knowing that anything can happen to anybody and just walk away from it. So I'm glad Teirra gets some justice from this," said Belinda Houseman, Teirra's mother.
Teirra's injuries meant a number to trips to the burn unit at Akron Children's Hospital for treatment. She's also restricted from swimming and must limit light and sunlight exposure to the skin that's still healing.
Houseman doesn't believe Hall has any regrets for her actions while babysitting the toddler.
"You can't do that to some kid, anybody's kid, if it's yours or somebody else's and not have remorse and not cry," Houseman said. "This is the first time she's cried."
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 Worldnow and WFMJ. All Rights Reserved. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms
