CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A woman who pleaded guilty to abandoning her infant son in a Chesapeake park 20 years ago, leading to his death from hypothermia, was sentenced to 32 years in prison Friday morning.
"She brought a baby into this world who knew nothing but pain," said Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Stephanie Pass. "He was thrown away like trash."
Pass asked the judge for the maximum sentence for Chrisman's first-degree murder charge, which he granted.
"There is nothing more precious than the innocence of a newborn child," said the judge. "You stole a life you had no power to take."
Her sentencing comes roughly five months after she pleaded guilty to felony murder and felony child abuse and neglect in connection to the baby's death.
Prior to sentencing, Chrisman spoke to the judge to ask for a lesser sentence.
"I'm sorry for all of this," said Chrisman.
Chesapeake
Woman pleads guilty 20+ years after 'Baby Daniel' was found dead in Ches. park
The death of "Baby Daniel" went unsolved for years before officials connected Chrisman to the incident.
It wasn't until about 20 years later in January of 2020 when Chrisman was arrested. Police say DNA from prior convictions popped up in the system, flagging Chrisman's connection to the murder.
News
Woman arrested in connection with baby’s 2003 homicide, Chesapeake Police say
The newborn baby was found in January of 2003 at Western Branch Park, police say. Ed Jones was a parks and recreation employee at the time.
“Take a baby and throw a couple of blankets around it and leave it in the woods, there’s no excuse for that," said Jones.
The baby was found in the woods by an 11-year-old boy, according to police.
"That's something that should never happen to anybody," said Rafael Cabrera, who found the baby in 2003, in a video Chesapeake Police released in 2020.
Police said when the baby was located, he was wrapped in two blankets and wearing an oversized diaper. His umbilical cord was still attached, leading investigators to believe he had recently been born.
Following the discovery of the boy, investigators and the community named the baby "Daniel."
Friday in court, News 3 learned Chrisman has two other children: a daughter born two years before Daniel's death, and another born one year after.
The mother of Chrisman, following the announcement of the sentence, went up to the father of baby Daniel and said, "you got what you wanted."
