A sentence of five years jail has been handed down for a 20-year-old woman for the manslaughter of a one-year-old baby girl two years ago, with no minimum non-parole period.



Shayal Upashna Sami, 20, was babysitting Aaliyah Ashlyn Chand in January 7, 2015.

She faced trial for murder in the High Court in Chrischurch, but the jury found her not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter.

Today Shayal Sami was in tears as she was sentenced for inflicting multiple blunt force injuries to the child, including two skull fractures.

In their victim impact statement the little girl's parents, Dev and Anjani Chand told the court through tears: "Aaliyah filled our home like a princess in a palace".

"We can never hug and kiss her, tuck her in bed, nobody should ever have to watch their daughter pass away and then have to bury them."

Aaliyah's mother addressed this directly to Shayal Sami: "Shayal you have put us through unbearable pain and left us serving a life sentence".

"We were not there to protect her from you, when you inflicted injuries on our beautiful child. Shayal we put you in the position of trust and you failed us and you failed Aaliyah."

Crown Prosecutor Mark Zarifeh listed the multiple injuries inflicted with force, telling the court the aggravating factor is: "This was a breach of trust as Aaliya was in the defendant's care".

However, Defence Lawyer Jonathon Eaton told the court his client: "Still maintains that she didn't do anything".

Sami's young child, who she was pregnant with at the time of the death has already been weaned and sent back to Fiji.

Her lawyer told the court: "Because of the charge she hasn't been allowed to be alone with her own child which has a been a very significant penalty".

Shayal Upashna Sami Source: 1 NEWS