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Stepmother admits she beat Roxbury toddler to death

Kennai Whyte

Maria Buie, 28, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter today rather than face trial on charges she beat Kenai Whyte, 3, so badly that he died, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Douglas Wilkins sentenced her to 9 to 12 years in prison, the DA's office reports. She had been scheduled to go on trial next week for second-degree murder, which could have meant a sentence of life.

According to the DA's office:

Boston Police and Boston EMS responded to a 911 call from Buie’s Alpine Street residence on the night of Jan. 31, 2016, to find him injured and unresponsive. He died at Boston Medical Center on March 2. An autopsy revealed bruising, contusions, and scratches; the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that his death was caused by “blunt impact and acceleration and deceleration of the head and neck.”

Had the case proceeded to trial, Assistant District Attorneys Craig Iannini and Brenna Flynn would have sought to prove that Buie was the only person who could have caused the injuries. Though there were no witnesses to the assault, any events leading up to it, or its aftermath, evidence suggests that the child had been healthy and free of injuries earlier that same day.

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Comments

Good riddance to Dan Conley. What kind of coward permits a person to beat an innocent toddler to death and only serve 9-12 years? All to save a few bucks on the trial? This wicked psychopath will probably be back out in 4-5, her malicious rage and disregard for life fully intact. But, please, send the mail-stealer away for 20 years. What a ridiculous, sick, corrupt, nonsensical world we live in. I don't know what I would do if I was this child's father, mother, sister, or brother. Hard to imagine they were on board with this sentence. Poor little guy.

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What would you say if Conley tried for the higher charge and lost the case, thus making the woman free of any punishment?

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Though there were no witnesses to the assault, any events leading up to it, or its aftermath

I still have serious doubts about the Eappen case because of this - the parents should have been suspects, too. As heartbreaking as it is, this may have been the only way to take this murderer out of society.

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Bring on Henning now

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Heartbreaking defenseless young soul. I'm so hurt for this little guy. Rest ever so Peacefully.

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and bless this poor little soul.

As for her, hang her publicly and leave her to rot.

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