A Hutchinson woman convicted of involuntary manslaughter as part of an agreement with the state was granted 36-months community corrections by Judge Trish Rose Tuesday afternoon. That’s with an underlying sentence of 36-months.

Brigit Hippen had faced trial in association with the death of her 2-month old child, Karina Perez. The state had argued that Hippen was reckless when she placed a hair-dryer on a counter near the crib her child was sleeping in. But, when it came time to sentencing, the state remained mute and left the sentencing to the discretion of the court.

Assistant District Attorney Cheryl Allen says she was not happy with the decision of the court to grant probation, but stated she agreed to plea deal because of fear of another hung jury. You’ll recall that the first trial on a charge of second degree murder ended with a hung jury, forcing the scheduling of a new trial. But, then came the plea and Tuesday’s sentencing.

Hippen spoke prior to sentencing and at one point stopped because of her weeping over the memory of her child dying. She says she suffered deep pain over the past 2-years, for not only the death of her daughter, but also all the criticism. She told the judge that she never meant to cause her child any pain.

Hippen has suffered another loss of a child. She and her boyfriend had a boy who is now 13-months old, but that child was taken away from her 3-days after he was born because of the pending charges against her. She says she not only lost her daughter, but also missed most of the first year of her son’s life. The boy is named “Prince” and for the most part, she has only been able to see him while being supervised. That’s started to change some now, but her hope is to show people she is not a bad person, and that she can be a good mother.

The death of her child occurred when she placed placed the hair dryer near the child’s crib because of concern for her being to cold. The child died from hyperthermia as a result. Doctors have
said Karina’s temperature was 108 when she died. This occurred back on February 23, 2010.

Hippen still faces charges of battery and felony criminal damage to property in a seperate case.

Assistant District Attorney Cheryl Allen comments to the media after the sentencing hearing.