Amanda Walder, a former childcare provider from Watertown, S.D., has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for her involvement in the death of a 17-month-old child in 2021.
She had previously pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in March.
In addition to her prison sentence, Walder will be required to pay restitution to the victim’s family and the county.
Watertown police were called to an in-home daycare in July 2021 after an unconscious child, later identified as Liam Koistinen, was found. Medical professionals determined that the injuries he sustained were consistent with abuse, leading to Walder’s initial arrest on charges of abuse or cruelty to a minor.
The case was investigated by the DCI and Watertown Police Department and prosecuted by the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office.