Brandon Calahoo has been behind bars since July 26, 2016, one day after he shook two-month-old Raelyn Supernant, leaving her with fatal injuries.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice June Ross ordered the 22-year-old to remain in jail for another two years, to be followed by three years of probation.

The sentence amounts to five years, eight-and-a-half months. The Crown had asked for a sentence in the range of eight to 10 years, while the defence suggested time served to be followed by three years probation.

While many people in the packed courtroom cried uncontrollably, Calahoo showed no reaction as he was sentenced.

Calahoo was not Raelyn's father, but had made a commitment to help raise the child and share responsibility for her care. He was living with the baby and her mother Carly Supernant at the time.

Brandon Calahoo, 22, will spend the next two years in jail for criminal negligence causing death. (Instagram )

He admitted he shook the baby by her body and head with both hands when he awoke to her crying early in the morning.

Calahoo put Raelyn back in her crib even though she was unresponsive. The infant never regained consciousness and died two weeks later after she was pulled off life support.

Calahoo was originally charged with second-degree murder and failure to provide the necessaries of life, but pleaded guilty in April 2018 to criminal negligence causing death.

In handing down her sentence, Ross said, "This was not a near accident. Chance did not play a significant role in Raelyn's death.

"The vulnerability of a two-month-old baby is apparent to any reasonable person."

Ross also noted that in her opinion Calahoo has not truly accepted the role he played in Raelyn's death.

"He did not communicate any real sense of shame or grief," Ross said. "Mr. Calahoo has still not fully understood or accepted his responsibility for cutting short the life of a helpless baby girl who he says he thought of as a daughter."

'I'm in shock, dismay. Heartbroken'

The judge acknowledged grief has devastated Raelyn's family.

"Living with this senseless tragedy has deeply affected them," Ross said. "They are understandably very angry; they feel betrayed by Brandon Calahoo, a young man who they welcomed into their family and community."

Outside court, Raelyn's grandmother stood shivering in the cold with more than a dozen friends and family members wearing T-shirts bearing Raelyn's picture.

Grandmother Robin Kuori expresses her feelings about the sentence handed down to Brandon Calahoo for his role in the death of her granddaughter. (Peter Evans/CBC News )

Robin Kuori struggled with anger and tears about the sentence.

"I don't even have words to tell you the truth," Kuori said. "I'm in shock, dismay. Heartbroken. He took 80 years away from a beautiful little girl. And what does he get? Two years. Less a day."

The grandmother said she had hoped the judge would agree with the 10 years proposed by the Crown, but would have been satisfied with a six-year sentence to be served in a federal penitentiary.

"He's still going to be under 30 when this is said and done for him," Kuori said. "We all have a life sentence of dealing with this for the rest of our lives. Do you think he's going to think about it after? I don't think so. He's not thinking of it now."

Kuori hopes to mount an education campaign aimed at high-school-age boys with a simple message.

"Do not pick up a baby and shake a baby. Walk away. Call somebody. Do anything other than shake the baby."