Grandmother sentenced to life in prison in the 2012 death of her granddaughter

DECATUR, Ga. – A judge has sentenced a Georgia grandmother to life in prison in the death of her 3-year-old granddaughter.

DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James said in a news release that Superior Court Judge Mark A. Scott sentenced 45-year-old Selena Rivera on Wednesday in the 2012 murder of Nevah Pinckney. The indictment says Rivera stuck Pinckney with an unknown object and called 911 once she noticed the child was unresponsive.

The unconscious Pinckney was taken to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston and was pronounced dead upon arrival.

Medical reports show Pinckney died from blunt force trauma to the torso, extremities and head.

Rivera was convicted last week on charges including malice murder, felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault.