A woman was sentenced to nine years in prison Friday for abusing and starving her 2-year-old daughter to death.
The Saitama District Court found Shiho Ando, 25, guilty of conspiring with her husband, Akiyoshi, 32, to repeatedly beat their daughter, Misaki, from late January last year because the child would not behave. They also did not give her sufficient food and water, and the child died from dehydration Feb. 24, 2002.
Presiding Judge Masaki Wakahara said the mother was the main perpetrator of the abuse and thus bore the greatest responsibility for the girl's death. However, he also said she now deeply regrets her actions.
Prosecutors had demanded a 12-year prison term.
Ando's husband is still on trial.