A Las Vegas woman received a life sentence for torturing and killing a 4-year-old autistic boy.
On Wednesday, Clark County District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt sentenced 48-year-old Crystal Stephens to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In February, she accepted a plea deal on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping resulting in substantial bodily harm, and child abuse, which allowed her to avoid facing the death penalty.
“This might be the worst child homicide I’ve ever had,” prosecutor Chris Hamner said Wednesday, according to 8 News Now.
Stephens killed Brandon Steckler Jr. in 2018. He was found with numerous bruises and burns on his body, along with 27 rib fractures, at the time of his death, according to Clark County prosecutors. They also said he suffered from malnutrition, sepsis, pneumonia, and tested positive for methamphetamine.
“I hope she feels in every moment the consequences of what she’s done because we feel them in every heartbeat,” Brandon’s grandmother, Synthia Mosley, told the court. “The hole his absence has left behind is as immeasurable as the love he gave so freely.”
Brandon’s mother, who lived at a shelter, had asked Stephens to care for her son. Three weeks later, Stephens killed him.
After her arrest, investigators found drug residue and paraphernalia in Stephens’ home, court documents revealed. Stephens reportedly told police that Brandon had drowned.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Stephens told Judge Leavitt that she took full responsibility for her actions and was committed to maintaining her mental health and sobriety, the Review-Journal reports.
“I’m terribly sorry for my horrific actions,” Stephens said.
