Sentence Reduced for Woman Accused of Killing 4-Year-Old Boy

CHAMBERLAIN, S.D. (AP) — A Gann Valley woman convicted of beating a 4-year-old boy to death after he wet his pants could be released from prison decades earlier than expected.

Twenty-five-year-old Donika Gonzales was accused in 2013 of killing 4-year-old Mason Naser after Naser soiled himself. She was later convicted of manslaughter and aggravated assault and sentenced in July 2014 to 145 years in prison.

The Daily Republic reports Judge Bruce Anderson recently modified the sentence to 90 years, with 50 years suspended. He said Gonzales was "essentially serving a life sentence" even though she appeared amenable to rehabilitation.

Gonzales will now be eligible for parole when she's in her mid-40s, rather than when she's in her late-80s.

Buffalo County State's Attorney Dedrich Koch called the decision disappointing.