The judge handed down a sentence of 25 years in prison and an additional 20 years of supervision.
In July, Nicoletti entered a no contest plea during a sentencing hearing. However, Anderson did not accept this plea. Later on, she decided to change her plea to guilty.
She was found guilty of intentionally causing great bodily harm to a child, neglecting a child and causing great bodily harm, inflicting mental harm on a child, and false imprisonment. Although six other charges were dismissed, they were still taken into consideration.
In October, there were reports of concerning incidents involving the boy. Specifically, he arrived at school with a black eye, which was promptly reported. Additionally, later that same month, a concerned caller expressed worry about the boy’s absence from school and significant weight loss.
After the report was made, Nicoletti decided to remove the boy from school and instead enrolled him in online classes. The boy explained that school officials showed concern for him by providing food at school, which upset Nicoletti.
In November 2023, an incident occurred where Nicoletti caught the boy eating a can of refried beans. In a fit of anger, Nicoletti forcefully grabbed the can and pressed the jagged edges against the boy’s face, resulting in visible scars that were still present during the interview on Jan. 15.
Nicoletti expressed her frustration with the child in a text message to her boyfriend, mentioning that she was annoyed with him just for “breathing.” When authorities arrived to remove the child, she became worried as she no longer had control over the situation.
According to Van Hollen, Nicoletti believed he was defying her by defecating in his room.
According to Van Hollen, the shocking mugshot of the suspect shows her smiling, which he finds unusual and disturbing. He goes on to claim that the suspect has not shown any signs of remorse, stating that she is not human and has been placed with a monster.
According to Nicoletti’s attorney, Kenneth Ryder, Nicoletti should not be labeled as a monster. He emphasizes that she is an individual who grapples with mental health challenges.
According to Ryder, Nicoletti is accepting accountability and requesting a prison sentence. He mentions that she does not have any previous criminal record, making this her first offense.
Ryder acknowledges that Nicoletti was a devoted mother to her other children, but acknowledges that this does not improve the situation.
After undergoing an evaluation, Nicoletti received a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. At the time, she was not fully aware of her mental health challenges, according to Ryder.
Nicoletti expressed her remorse for her actions, acknowledging that if she had the chance to turn back time, she would have approached the situation in a more thoughtful manner.
“I adore all my children. It breaks my heart,” she confessed. “I am determined to make the necessary changes and become a better individual.”
During their conversation, Anderson expressed his disbelief in Nicoletti’s words. He pointed out that sociopaths often manage to avoid criminal records due to their ability to evade detection.
He questioned her, “Who do you believe you are? I’m not foolish. You know very well what you did repeatedly. You’re just regretful for being caught.”
Anderson usually offers words of encouragement to defendants after handing down a sentence, but this time he made an exception for Nicoletti. Instead of wishing him good luck, Anderson chose not to extend those words to him.
“You don’t deserve it,” he uttered, before urging the remaining individuals in the courtroom to “head home and embrace your children.”