JACKSON, Mich. — A woman convicted of killing her boyfriend's 14-month-old son will spend up to 15 years in prison. A Jackson County judge handed down the sentence to Amber Reeves Wednesday, for the murder of Logan Tracy.
The courtroom was packed with people and emotion Wednesday morning, as the judge heard from both sides of Logan's family.
"Amber Reeves took him, Amber, alone, her actions took him," said Susan Ziegler, Logan Tracy's paternal grandmother.
"I walked into the hospital room and saw my baby boy lying on the hospital bed, my knees gave out I fell on the floor. My heart broke into a thousand pieces and it felt my world just crashed," Raelyn Russell, Logan Tracy's mother.
"Mommy and daddy have no Logan, nana and papa have no Logan," said Barb Hunter, Logan Tracy's maternal grandmother.
25-year-old Amber Reeves sat with her back turned to Logan's family, no eye contact with any of them.
October 2018 she hit Logan multiple times while babysitting him, causing internal bleeding and killing him from blunt force trauma to the stomach.
She enraged the little boy's family when she claimed to be standing up for him.
"I'm here to be the voice of 14-month-old Logan Tracy who was abused by his father, continuously," said Amber Reeves, convicted of killing Logan Tracy.
Logan's great aunt, Mary Ireland, took the stand and turned to Reeves and said, "Amber how dare you accuse my nephew of abuse of little Logan. Your actions are what killed him."
Reeves' lawyer pleaded for mercy and sentence within the guideline. He asked the judge to consider his client has taken responsibility, pleaded guilty and has some mental health concerns. The prosecution fired back.
"Showing up at the exam, waving her exam, coming in pleading as charged is way too little way too late. We could've been here for a child abuse second degree, that's it," Kelsey McKiney, the prosecutor.
The judge agreed, especially after the tears, the family shed during their victim impact statements.
"Because frankly, I think you need to be away from society as long as statutorily possible so that this does not happen anytime soon," said Honorable Judge Susan Jordan, Jackson County Circuit Court.
However, even the 15-year maximum isn't enough for Logan's family.
"Still angry that she didn't get life. She took our baby boy and she is still living, still breathing," said Russell.
Reeves has credit for 166 days, and she will be eligible for parole after 10 years.
Logan Tracy's family has been a part of the push for Wyatt's Law--which would establish an online child abuse registry for anyone to access it. It was created by Erica Hammel of St. Clair Shores.
The law was named after a baby, Wyatt Riewoldt, who was almost killed five years ago on November 1st, 2013, as a result of extreme physical abuse by the father's then-girlfriend.
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