Katrina Shangreaux, the South Dakota mom who gained notoriety after shocking allegations emerged that she had beaten her young son – a toddler – to death, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison, according to PEOPLE .
Having previously entered her guilty plea prior to Tuesday’s sentencing, Katrina Shangreaux admitted that she had been responsible for battering her son, Kylen Shangreaux, to death.
The details are grisly. The mother told law enforcement officials investigating the file that she had struck Kylen with a studded leather belt, hurled him to the ground, kicked him repeatedly about the head and abdomen, and even bit him several times.
Examined after his tragic death, medical investigators produced evidence that Kylen had suffered 111 external injuries, with an approximate 70 percent of his body covered in bruises from blunt force trauma. He had suffered internal bleeding of the brain and abdomen, broken ribs, and what was described as severe injury to his groin.
Katrina Shangreaux did not call for 911 until three hours after the boy had succumbed to his fatal injuries.
South Dakota Mom Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Beating Son to Death For Wetting His Bed https://t.co/PsyrZxZnMo
— People (@people) July 19, 2018
Shangreaux was not alone in the act according to some serious allegations; her own mother – Sonya Dubray – reportedly helped Katrina cover up the heinous crime, according to the Associated Press . Suspicions that she was, in fact, helping her daughter clean up the scene of the crime, clean the little boy’s body and clothes, and lying to investigators in order to attempt to mislead them away from the true culprit led to Dubray also catching criminal charges related to the matter.
Dubray pled not guilty to being an accessory to the fact in addition to hindering the investigation, according to The National Post . There is no set trial date for her alleged involvement as yet.
Kylen’s paternal family members had been taking care of the toddler for a year previous to his mother regaining custody. Aunt Angie Shangreaux had been a primary caregiver for the earliest stages of the young boy’s life and held a special bond with him. The aunt addressed the court during sentencing, asking for maximum justice to be meted out to the boy’s mother.
“You’re the last person who can give Kylen the justice he deserves,” Angie said to the court. “I’m begging for what would be a lifelong sentence for her.”
Then, turning to face Katrina Shangreaux, Angie Shangreaux offered nothing but brutal condemnation for her acts.
“I hate you. I will never forgive you. You deserve hell.”
Katrina Shangreaux is not the only abuser in the family currently facing down time in the justice system. Kylen’s father is currently incarcerated in prison on charges of abuse and neglect of another son with a different woman, according to the Associated Press .
