Mother gets 39 years for killing 5-year-old
Thirty photographs told the story of the short life and brutal death of 5-year-old Melanie Beltran at the hands of her mother, Mila Petrov, sentenced Thursday to 39 years in prison for her daughter's March 2007 murder.
Petrov refused to look at them.
Prosecutors introduced the photos during Petrov's sentencing hearing before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Garritt E. Howard in Skokie's Second Municipal District. Taken during Melanie's autopsy several days after Petrov slammed the little girl's head into a wall at their home on the 8900 block of Kennedy Drive in Maine Township, the photos showed deep bruises around Melanie's eyes and abrasions on her nose, which Cook County Chief Medical Examiner Nancy Jones testified occurred on different occasions.
The second- and third-degree burns on her arms and torso were consistent with scalding, Jones said, while circular burns suggested a cigarette. Ligature marks around Melanie's ankles indicated her legs had been bound, and looped marks on her body could have come from her being struck by a belt or electrical cord, Jones said.
But it was blunt-force trauma to her head that killed her, said Jones, who determined failure to thrive due to neglect as a contributing factor in her death.
"She had injuries from her head to her toes," said Assistant State's Attorney Rick Cenar, who argued the brutality of the murder justified an extended prison term of 60 to 100 years.
"She was a 5-year-old little girl who did nothing wrong other than being the daughter of the defendant," he said.
Petrov, 32, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder last month after prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty. Her blind plea came without a sentencing recommendation. Petrov's common-law husband, Carlos Beltran, 33, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of aggravated battery last summer and received 20 years in prison.
Petrov and Beltran's parental rights were terminated last year and their children placed in foster homes or with relatives, Cenar said.
Arguing for leniency, Assistant Public Defender Jim Mullenix said one cannot comprehend the unfortunate story of Melanie Beltran without first knowing the unfortunate story of Mila Petrov, who was abused physically and sexually by her parents and by Carlos Beltran, who Mullenix said prostituted and beat Petrov.
Like Melanie, who Petrov singled out for abuse from her seven siblings who ranged in age from 2 to 10 years, Petrov was the target of her brothers and sisters who beat, taunted and even stabbed her at the urging of their mother, who considered Petrov bad and dirty.
"She raised children as she was raised," said Mullenix. "She accepts that she and Carlos are responsible for Melanie's death."
Petrov expressed remorse, adding: "I know God forgives me. I'm with Jesus now."
Howard described the defendant as a torturer.
"I have never seen a more egregious case of failure to thrive due to parental neglect," he said. "The facts in this case are appalling. You failed to live up to a minimal standard of decency."
Yet he considered as mitigation her acceptance of responsibility and willingness to enter a blind plea. He also said he believed Petrov acted out of anger and not because she intended to kill Melanie.
Petrov received credit for the 1,001 days she spent in Cook County jail awaiting trial, but will otherwise serve the entire sentence, meaning she will remain behind bars until her late 60s, Cenar said.
"We respect the judge's decision," he said.