The woman who blackmailed a Melbourne couple as their daughter lay dying in a hospital bed has been jailed for three years and will be deported upon her release.

Jay and Dee Windross created a social media campaign to track down their missing mobile phone, which contained irreplaceable photographs of 11-month-old Amiyah as she spent her final days in critical care in April last year.

Amiyah's parents Jay (right) and Dee Windross speak to media outside the County Court on Tuesday. Credit:AAP

As the Windross family were saying their final goodbyes to Amiyah, Mr Windross received a text message from someone claiming to have the missing phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 with a purple cover had been snatched from toilets at the Chadstone Shopping Centre over the Easter long weekend.