May 14 (UPI) — A New York Nanny convicted of killing two children under her care was sentenced to life in prison without parole Monday.
Yoselyn Ortega was sentenced to life in prison on two counts of first-degree murder and consecutive sentences of 25 years each on two counts of second-degree murder for fatally stabbing 6-year-old Lucia and 2-year-old Leo in their home on Oct. 25, 2012.
The mother of the two children, Marina Krim, told the judge Ortega destroyed her family and neither the nanny nor Ortega’s family has since shown remorse for their actions.
“I’m very sorry for everything that happened,” Ortega said through an interpreter before the sentencing. “My life is in the hands of God.”
Ortega never disputed that she killed the children, but instead pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. A jury convicted her in April after siding with prosecutors who said she was motivated by money troubles and workload conflicts with the children’s mother and was aware of her actions as she killed the children.
Marina Krim and her husband, Kevin Krim, also placed blame on Ortega’s family, saying they lied about her background and provided a fake reference to make her appear qualified for the job.
Kevin Krim said his family introduced “Lulu and Leo’s law,” which will make it a crime to falsify job applications and references for someone working in childcare, to New York state legislature in “direct response” to the case.
