I hate to think of the day she walks out of prison, wailing about the unfairness of her life. That child was dealt the cruelest hand imaginable. Forget this wretched creature and remember little Nixzmary.

Good to see justice served, but awful knowing that we haven't done anything to stop this from happening again in another household.

May she rot in her tiny, tiny cell.

@zodak: you shut the fuck up

I don't understand lawyer stuff, but did they hit her with more to make sure to get her? Did they feel they had a slam dunk with the step dad? Again, I am treading into an area I know very little about. :] But it's curious, nonetheless that she faced more chargers than the man who beat (and probably) molested/raped her.

@SomethingBetter-- Santiago faced more charges than Rodriguez. Rodriguez only faced manslaughter and unlawful imprisonment, while Santiago faced manslaughter, unlawful imprisonment, assault, and endangering the welfare of a child.

Justice and closure feel like small consolations, but I'll take it. It seems there are so many random assaults and shootings these days that I can't even remember what happened last week half the time, but this case is so horrific that I may never forget. Prison is too good for these people.

I hope I live to see a day when it's required to have rigorous screening and training before becoming a parent.

Makes you wonder what Nixaliz Santiago's upbringing must have been like. Not excusing her, but child abuse is learned and repeat behavior.

Sad story all around.

# 9: Perhaps she got more time because as Nixzmary's MOTHER she should have been more proactive in protecting her child. I think the fact that she did nothing is much worse because she should have had a much more vested interest in the welafre of this Nixzmary's well-being.

Why was the mother given a longer sentence than Rodriguez? I understand she allowed it to happen, but it was the step father who actually bashed her head on the faucet in the bathtub.

I hate this story. I have hated this story. I hate that it happened to her. I hate hate hate it. It will haunt me until I'm either dead or suffering from memory loss.

I can't even discuss details with people without crying. I am not sure that rawness will ever go away. It's just truly horrible. I became a mother since this story broke and now it's worse. How anyone can do this to any living creature is beyond me.

I don't really believe in heaven and hell and all that, but this story has always made me try. Because this little girl deserves an impossibly perfect eden after what she went through.

really? wow.

Well it's good to see some justice served. It's also good to see the story out on gothamist for so long and to so many people. It's too bad it was such an awful story.

It also makes me scared to see how long I've been posting here. :D

@matty-- It's actually been almost three years, if you count when Nixzmary's death was first reported. And that news was absolutely wrenching, just one terrible detail after the other. I really hope the ACS reforms are working-- social workers do a tremendous, stressful job.

Jen's been covering this for almost a year. Glad to see the follow through on the story.

awesome, we're one step closer to hearing about how she's been killed in jail!!

& matukonyc please STFU

Good!

There is some justice after all.

I know it's "breaking news," but there's always time for proofreading! She was sentenced to more than 40 (not 43) years, not over 40 years.