Marchella Pierce's Mother Gets 32 Years to Life in Prison

Marchella Pierce, 4, was found dead tied to a bed and weighed 18 pounds, nearly half the weight of an average 4-year-old

The mother of a little girl who was beaten, starved and drugged has been sentenced to 32 years to life in prison. 

Carlotta Brett-Pierce was convicted of murder last month in the death of 4-year-old Marchella Pierce. 

She told the court Wednesday that she was not responsible for her daughter's death. She said she lacked the education, skill and money to care for an ailing child. 

When police found Marchella on Sept. 2, 2010, she had 60 adult doses of Claritin and 30 doses of Benadryl in her system. Her stomach contained one kernel of corn. She weighed 18.8 pounds, half the weight of an average child her age.

The child's grandmother, Loretta Brett, was sentenced to up to 15 years in prison. She was convicted last month of manslaughter, among other charges.

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