Judge Donald Oda sentenced Brooke Skylar Richardson to three years of basic supervision Friday for the charge of abuse of a corpse. He said the standard rules for community control, or probation, apply.
Oda also ordered Richardson to spend seven days in the county jail, but credited her for seven days already served. That means, she is going home.
Richardson could be sentenced to up to a year in prison if she violates the terms of her probation.
On Thursday a jury found Richardson guilty of abuse of a corpse, but she was found not guilty of charges related to her newborn daughter’s 2017 death.
Despite the not guilty verdict, Oda expressed his concerns over Richardson’s actions and said her daughter may be alive today if Richardson had made “different decisions.”
“I think that your choices before birth, during birth and after show a grotesque disregard for life and I think, when I look at this case, that to me is what offends the community sensibilities,” Oda said.
Richardson apologized for her actions prior to the judge delivering her sentence.
“I can sometimes be selfish but I would like to think that I’ve become better in the knowledge that I’ve upset everyone,” she said, “and hurt so many people with what I’ve done and I’m forever sorry.”
