French Mother Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Starving Daughter to Death

A French mother, Sandrine Pissarra, 54, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the horrific abuse and starvation of her 13-year-old daughter, Amandine, who died of a heart attack in 2020 after years of maltreatment.

The verdict, delivered in the southern city of Montpellier, requires Pissarra to serve a minimum of 20 years behind bars before being eligible for parole.

A panel comprising three professional judges and six jurors unanimously agreed on the maximum sentence, as sought by the prosecution.

Pissarra’s former partner, Jean-Michel Cros, 49, was also sentenced to 20 years without parole for his role in depriving Amandine of care, a term that exceeded the 18 years initially requested by prosecutors.

Shocking Details of Abuse

At the time of her death on August 6, 2020, Amandine weighed only 28 kilograms (62 pounds) and stood at 1.55 meters (5.1 feet) tall.

A post-mortem report revealed severe weight loss, muscle degeneration, septicaemia, tooth loss, and hair pulling.

Disturbingly, she had been confined for weeks in a windowless storage room without food.

From a young age, Amandine endured relentless abuse, including beatings with brooms, punches, kicks, hair-pulling, and verbal insults.

À The prosecutor described Pissarra as a “domestic tyrant” and “executioner of Amandine,” emphasizing that her actions inflicted a “humiliating agony” on the young girl.

Defense and Sentencing

Pissarra, a former nail salon owner and mother of eight from three relationships, blamed Amandine’s condition on alleged eating disorders, a claim that was not corroborated.

On the day of her death, Amandine reportedly consumed only a small amount of sugar, fruit puree, and a protein drink before vomiting and ceasing to breathe.

The court also highlighted Pissarra’s attempts to transfer her hatred for Amandine’s father onto the child.

Her lawyer appealed for a “reasonable sentence” that would allow her eventual reintegration into society.

Cros, described as a “cowardly collaborator,” was accused of enabling Pissarra’s actions by withholding care from Amandine.

This tragic case sheds light on the extreme consequences of domestic abuse, with prosecutors labeling the years of torment as a calculated effort to degrade Amandine into a state of shameful suffering.

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