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Judge: Mother put violent husband, meth ahead of dead infant's safety

Cortney Bell faced multiple charges including second-degree murder in the death of her own 15-day-old child.

NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — Cortney Bell openly sobbed as a judge castigated her and read her sentence from the stand for the murder of her own child, Tuesday.

Baby Caliyah was found in a gym bag that belonged to Christopher McNabb, wrapped in a blanket and clothes of his not far from the parents’ trailer.  

"Y'all know I didn't do this," Bell said, crying before learning her sentence.

She was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 30 years with 15 to serve behind bars with additional 5 and 10-year sentences to be served concurrently. But, before Judge John Ott read her sentence, he lectured her for her actions in what would end in the death of little Caliyah. 

"There's a difference between the reality of the situation and what you think," the judge said. "I explained to you exactly why you were being charged with the crimes."

READ: Chris McNabb and Cortney Bell found guilty of murdering 2-week-old daughter

He said that her children were put second - and it cost one of them their lives.

"It wasn't that you knew about the murder, it wasn't that you anticipated the murder, it wasn't that you planned the murder - any of those things," he said. "It was simply that you created an environment that caused your children to be put second and Mr. McNabb to be put first."

Christopher McNabb, the infant's father, was charged with malice murder and also with concealing the baby's death. He was sentenced to life without parole plus 10 years.

Earlier, prosecutors argued in closing statements McNabb was a negligent father and violent partner with a short fuse and a penchant for lying, who snapped at his crying infant, killed her and frantically tried to hide his crime.

"I'm sorry. For you to go around chasing McNabb, doing meth, flies in the face of what any normal mother would do," the judge said.

She responded that she had a sickness but that she tried to be a good mother. But the judge replied that her actions flew in the face of what a mother would do to protect her child - alluding to how a mother bear would naturally protect her cub.

"The problem, Ms. McNabb, is that like most criminals, we have this version of what a good mama is that is so far from the norm...," the judge replied.

BACKGROUND:

Daddys' girl | How tumultuous past leads to heartbreaking ending 

Her 2-week-old body was found in the woods near her home. Her parents are charged with murder. 

Verify: Are parents on trial for murdering two-week-old first cousins?

THE TRIAL:

DAY 1:

'They're gonna think I did this': Neighbor recounts alleged comments by murdered child's father

Father, cousin testify in murder trial of parents accused of killing 15-day-old daughter

DAY 2:

'Some things were overlooked': Attorneys spar over evidence on Day 2 in trial of 2-week-old's murder 

Aunt says she thought Chris McNabb did it 'from the get-go' in emotional day 2 of baby murder trial

DAY 3:

Woman with dad when he learned baby was found in bag testifies he didn't ask if she was alive

'She was my baby': Father spoke in past tense of missing 2-week-old before she was found dead

DAY 4:

 'I was scared of his answer': Mother says she didn't want to ask father if he killed their 2-week-old daughter

Chris McNabb searched for exoneration in police interview two months after infant daughter's death

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