Lancaster woman seen on video abusing, burning toddler will serve up to 16 years in prison
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LANCASTER COUNTY, PA (WPMT ) — A Lancaster woman who burned and beat a toddler — making video recordings of some of the abuse — will serve up to 16 years in prison after a sentencing hearing this week in Lancaster County Court.
Kamika Bowman, 20, previously pleaded guilty and no contest to felony counts of aggravated assault of a child, endangering the welfare of a child, and related offenses, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
She was charged in January 2019.
Lancaster County Judge Jeffrey Wright called the acts “as terrible as anything I’ve seen” in his career on the bench before issuing a sentence of seven to 16 years in prison, the DA’s Office said in a press release.
Prosecutors say Bowman bound and gagged the victim, a two-year-old female relative while beating and inflicting third-degree burns on the girl’s face and body. She allowed the girl, who was in her care, to suffer for days before seeking medical treatment, prosecutors say.
She also made a video recording of one of the beatings, sending it to a relative. The video depicts her laughing about the abuse she inflicted on the child, according to prosecutors.
The video in question was presented as evidence in the case, but is sealed from public inspection due to the graphic nature of the acts depicted and the age of the victim, prosecutors say.
Wright said in court that the video will be viewable to any appellate court that hears a post-conviction motion, should any be filed.
According to prosecutors, the girl was placed in Bowman’s care because her mother was working a lot and could not provide stable housing at the time.
The child, who is now living with her mother, was nearly dead by the time she received any medical treatment for her injuries, prosecutors say. The extent of the child’s injuries is still unknown, according to prosecutors.
Bowman used blankets to conceal the child’s injuries while in public, and later looked up how to treat burns, prosecutors say.
She apologized in court Tuesday for making a “huge mistake,” and cited her drug and alcohol abuse, according to the DA’s Office.
Before issuing sentence, Wright questioned Bowman’s remorse, noting she pleaded no contest to some of the charges even though there was video evidence of her crimes, prosecutors say.
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