The mother of abused six-year-old Kiesha Weippeart has today been sentenced to a minimum of 16 years in jail for her murder, triggering outrage from the little girl’s supporters.
Kristi Abrahams, 30, and her boyfriend Robert Smith took Kiesha’s body into the bush and buried her in a shallow grave three years and three days ago.
The primary school student had died after receiving several blows to the head from her mother, who failed to call an ambulance.
Abrahams showed no emotion in court as she was taken into police cells after being sentenced, despite shouts of abuse from Kiesha’s supporters.
“Does having a bad upbringing and abuse give you the right to go and take people’s lives?” asked supporter Alison Anderson afterwards.
“She knew what she was doing. It’s just a cop-out. Kiesha was killed by a cold-blooded murderer.”
Although many complained the sentence was inadequate, Justice Ian Harrison said the decision had to be made “dispassionately” rather than by public opinion or commentary.
He described the murder as a result of the “unfortunate and frightening childhood” experienced by Abrahams, who was abused by her father and placed in inappropriate care. She also has an intellectual disability.
“The death of the deceased is the foreseeable and predictable consequence of preventable, cyclic abuse,” Justice Harrison said. “The offenders’ failings are mirrored in the failings of others.”
The murder, he said, was “a spontaneous act of violence and anger” intended to cause serious injury rather than a premeditated killing.
There was found to be insufficient evidence to prove the severe and repeated abuse suffered by Kiesha in her short life was committed by Abrahams.
Justice Harrison sentenced her to a maximum of 22 years, with a minimum non-parole period of 16 years. The charges included disposing of Kiesha’s body after her death.
Two weeks after Kiesha died, her mother called emergency services, claiming her daughter had gone missing that morning.
She made emotional public pleas for help in finding her “missing” six-year-old, sparking a major police hunt and an outpouring of public sympathy.
But police quickly realised circumstances were suspicious and a nine-month undercover investigation led to a confession from the couple.
Kiesha’s case was known to authorities and highlights failures in the system.
