ROMULUS, Mich. – A Romulus woman was sentenced Monday to one to 15 years in prison after pleading no contest to a charge in connection to a fire that claimed the life of her 1-year-old daughter.
Shavonne Lynise Watkins was charged after her daughter, Malaya Tatnall died when their home on Mountainway Street caught fire in October 2015.
Watch: Shavonne Watkins sentencing
Malaya and her 3-year-old brother, Kyree, were home alone when the fire started, police said.
Tatnall died in the fire, and Kyree was hospitalized.
Watkins pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter. A second-degree child abuse charge was dismissed.
“I’m sorry that this situation even happened,” Watkins said. “Me losing my baby is already a life sentence by itself.”
Judge Bruce Marrow said if Watkins qualifies for for alternative sentencing, such as boot camp, he would sign off on it.
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