PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A woman has been sentenced after she was convicted on charges connected to the death of her 2-year-old son in Portsmouth.
Pinya Rae Starr was found guilty earlier this year of child abuse and neglect of her son Kiyan Spears. Kiyan died after suffering from multiple blunt force injuries to his head, a brain bleed, and other internal and external injuries, according to the evidence from Portsmouth's Office of Commonwealth's Attorney.
On Wednesday, Starr was sentenced to five years in prison, with four years and six months suspended, followed by five years of supervised probation.
Starr was originally charged with murder, but that charge was later dropped when a key witness said they would be unable to testify in time for the trial.
