DENNIS HUSPENI
THE GAZETTE
February 20, 200
For sentencing one of her children to death, and four more to a lifetime of physical and emotional pain, a judge sent Maria Darlene Gardner to prison for 85 years Friday.
On January 18, 2008, Gardner gathered her five children into her Colorado Springs bedroom, poured gasoline on them, and then lit them on fire. Ashia, 16 months, died in her crib. Her other children, Amarjahan, 4, Supreme, 6, Domenic, 9, and Dontrell, 10, were severely burned. Domenic also had his throat slashed.
"You did a terrible thing," 4th Judicial District Judge Timothy Simmons said before handing down the sentence.
Gardner pleaded guilty last month to child abuse causing death and four counts of child abuse causing serious bodily injury. She had earlier pleaded insanity but changed her mind last month. Her lawyers said she wanted to avoid having prosecutors put her children on the witness stand.
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Her surviving children are recovering from the blaze.
Stacy Braun, who is counseling two of the children, testified that they're struggling.
"Supreme in the beginning wanted to talk, talk, talk and tell the story over and over. After about a month, he shut down. It's too painful for him - you can see it in his face," Braun said.
The boy wanted the judge "to tell my mom to be nice to us next time. If I ever get to see you again, please don't hurt me," Braun said.
Domenic believes the fire was his fault and "takes responsibility for the death of his baby sister," Braun said. He also has a bright scar across the length of his neck where his mother slashed him.
"He feels isolated and different," Braun said.
In a letter read during the hearing, Domenic wrote: "I'm sad my sister is not with me. My right arm hurts and people look at me because I'm different."
"I have nightmares almost every night and am afraid of the dark," he wrote. "I'm scared my mom might come and do it again."
Dontrell suffered burns over 85 percent of his body and is still recovering at the Shriner's Hospital in Galveston, Texas.
Two of the children, Amarjahan and Supreme have been adopted, Braun said.
Much more at link:
http://s2.excoboard.com/exco/archive.php?ac=t&forumid=124565&date=08-18-2009&t=2006270-1
Maria Darlene Gardner
Guilty Plea
Location: Denver Women's Correctional Facility
Sentence Date: 02/20/2009
Offenses:
1 counts Child Abuse Resulting in Death
4 counts Child Abuse Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury
Sentence: 85 years
Parole Eligibility Date: 02/13/2050
