A Baltimore day care worker has been sentenced to 70 years in prison for smothering an 8-month-old girl last year.

On Monday, Leah Walden, 24, appeared before a Baltimore Circuit Court and pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the 2017 death of Reese Bowman, a court official tells PEOPLE.

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She was sentenced to life in prison with all but 70 years of her sentence suspended and five years of probation upon release.

During the two-hour sentencing hearing on Tuesday, surveillance footage of the murder captured by the day care security cameras was played. The footage brought many in attendance—including the judge, Althea Handy— to tears, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Walden initially claimed Reese died accidentally. But in the footage, Walden can be seen slapping Reese, pinning her down with one arm while the 8-month-old kicked her legs and handling her roughly before she covered the baby’s head with multiple blankets, suffocating her. Later on in the footage, Reese can be seen lying in her crib motionless.

“I’m just reflecting on everything I heard,” Handy said, the Sun reports. “There are tears everywhere in this courtroom.”

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Before killing the child, Walden has expressed frustration to a co-worker, prosecutors said Tuesday, according to the Sun.

“I’m sick of this little b—-. I hate this little b—- … She makes me want to punch her in the face..”

Image zoom Leah Walden Baltimore City Police Department

Reese’s family shared with the court how they moved to Baltimore to start a family, according to the paper. She had one older brother, who also attended the day care. After her death, the family left their jobs and moved from Baltimore.

“I will never see my girl take her first steps,” Justin Bowman said, the Sun reports. “Hold her, kiss her, comfort her when she’s scared, hear her say ‘I love you.’ “

He then turned to Walden, pointed and said, “Reese Annette Bowman accomplished more in her short life than this woman ever will.”

Before Reese’s death, Walden had worked at the child care center, Rocket Tiers Learning Center, for two and a half years and described her work on the center’s website as “rewarding,” the Sun reported at the time.

“I have one year of professional childcare experience and six years of part-time babysitting,” her profile reads. “I love seeing the children develop new skills like sitting up, crawling and walking. The best part of being an infant teacher is caring for babies who love me as much as I love them.”

On Tuesday, Walden apologized for Reese’s death and said in court she had no formal training or help at the day care, according to local station WJZ13.

Walden’s sister spoke in her defense, saying the 24-year-old was not a monster, the Sun reports. She then turned to Reese’s family and apologized, saying, “I’m so sorry. With all my heart, I’m sorry.”