Foster mom gets 10 yrs for baby's death

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - A Virginia Beach foster mom will spend 10 years in prison after an nine-month-old child died in her care.

Kathleen Ganiere plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter over the summer.

According to a release, Ganiere was the sole caretaker of Braxton Taylor from January 31, 2010 until February 5, 2010 while her husband was away on business.

When Mr. Ganiere returned he noticed Braxton could no longer sit up or focus his eye on things, as he could before the man's week-long absence.

On February 6, Braxton was taken to the hospital because he stopped breathing. Braxton's weight had decreased in Ganiere's care and he suffered from cauliflower ear, a bruised groin, crushed testicles, and a subdural hematoma.

Braxton died the next day at Children's Hospital for the King's Daughter.

The medical examiner said the baby boy died from brain swelling caused by shaking.

“I don’t need an expert to tell me what happened to this child,” Judge Patricia West said before pronouncing Ganiere's sentence. “It was selfish, and it didn’t have to happen.”

The judge imposed the maximum sentence for manslaughter.