A 30-year-old woman has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, having pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of her son on July 28, 2016.
Katrina Shangreaux of Porcupine, South Dakota, tortured and murdered her 2-year-old boy, Kylen, because he wet the bed and then accidentally called her by the name of his aunt.
Shangreaux had initially been charged with first-degree murder, felony child abuse and neglect – charges that could have handed her a life sentence. However, she pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder, and confessed to having beaten him severely before his death.
This makes my heart literally hurt. The hardest part is pretending that everything is ok when life is not ok. I miss you…
Posted by Justice for Kylen on Thursday, September 1, 2016
As per Rapid City Journal, Shangreaux told during her confession how she attacked her child with a studded belt, as well as struck and kicked him, bit him, mutilated his genitals and burned him with a cigarette.
U.S. Attorney Sarah Collins reportedly said at the sentencing hearing that the boy had 11 separate injuries, including broken ribs and internal bleeding in his brain and abdomen. As much as seventy percent of his body was covered in bruises.
It's been 3 months since you were taken away from us. Yet it feels like just yesterday, the pain from losing you so raw….
Posted by Justice for Kylen on Friday, October 28, 2016
In fact, such were the extent of young Kylen’s wounds that Dr. Donald Habbe, who performed the autopsy examination, said his bruises contributed significantly to his death. The volume of blood amassing in the bruises deprived his organs of circulation.
Prosecutors in the case explained that Shangreaux and her mother, Sonya Dubray, tried to clean the boy’s body and remove evidence from the crime scene before placing a call to 911. By the time Shangreaux did make the call, Kylen had been dead for three hours.
The unwanted son
Sources claim that Shangreaux told her maternal aunt Gloria that she didn’t want her son, even before he was born. Gloria and her husband instead assumed care of him when he was born.
After 14 months of looking after Kylen, though, Gloria decided she could no longer raise the child – a decision made in part due to Shangreaux and her husband, James, coming over unannounced, drunk and high and taking Kylen without asking.
When Gloria gave him up, Kylen was taken in by another aunt and her mother. He remained there, with his aunt Angie for 14 months. By all accounts, he thrived during this time.
However, when Kylen was around a year and half old, Katrina Shangreaux launched a legal battle to get him back. She was granted custody of her son in June 2016. Less than two months later, she killed him.
Did you ever miss someone so much that it literally makes your heart hurt? 💔💔💔💙💙💙 what I'd give to have you back my littlest sonshine #JusticeforKylen #ILOVEYOUTHEMOSTKY
Posted by Justice for Kylen on Monday, August 15, 2016
“Katrina was really not that involved, she was a non-participating parent while living at my parents’ house. She stayed up in her room the whole time,” Angie Shangreaux told Native Sun News.
“She did not cook, bathe, play with, or even change Kylen’s diapers.”
Judge Viken gave Shangreaux 40 years in federal prison, seven more than the recommended maximum. He explained that her crime was “unusually heinous.”
Rest in peace, little Kylen. We can only hope he’s in a place now where he’ll know no suffering and feel no pain.
As for Katrina Shangreaux, we’re sure we’re not the only ones of the opinion that she should spend the remainder of her days locked behind bars. Do you think 40 years is long enough? If not, SHARE this story with your friends and family on Facebook.
