The 5 biggest moments from Kinsley Kinner case

Rebekah Kinner, mother of slain toddler Kinsley Kinner, received an 11-year prison sentence in May 2016 after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, permitting child abuse and endangering children.

Rebekah Kinner, mother of slain toddler Kinsley Kinner, received an 11-year prison sentence in May 2016 after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, permitting child abuse and endangering children.

Bradley Young and Rebekah Kinner, under heavy guard, were arraigned in Middletown Municipal Court on Dec. 4, 2015, just hours after 2-year-old Kinsley received her fatal injuries.

Rebekah Kinner, 24, pleaded guilty in March 2016 to involuntary manslaughter, permitting child abuse and endangering children after she did nothing to stop her boyfriend, Bradley Young, from beating her 2-year-old daughter, Kinsley, to death.

Young is serving a 15 years to life in prison after being found guilty of murder following a jury trial.

Here are 5 of the biggest moments from the case:

1. Mother taken from jail to see toddler at funeral home

Rebekah Kinner, under guard from the Butler County Sheriff's Office, was permitted to see her dead child before the toddler's visitation and funeral.

Rebekah Kinner

icon to expand image

Rebekah Kinner had expressed an interest in going to the visitation, but the sheriff’s office told her they could not accommodate that request.

MORE: Family of toddler beaten to death speaks out 

2. Kinsley’s funeral brings hundreds, many with donations

In the wake of a tragic situation, Kinsley Kinner's father, Scott Senft, chose to make Christmas brighter for other children by requesting toys be donated in his young daughter's memory. A truck was parked outside the toddler's visitation, where toys could be dropped off.

A load of donations collected during the visitation for Kinsley Kinner.

icon to expand image

3. Slain toddler’s mom gives birth wile awaiting trial

Rebekah Kinner gave birth to a baby boy in February while awaiting trial. Senft initially believed he was the father, but a paternity test proved he was not.

A pregnant Rebekah Kinner and her boyfriend, Bradley Young, appear with their attorneys in Butler County court for a trial date setting.

icon to expand image

The newborn is placed with his biological father.

Soon after giving birth, Rebekah Kinner pleads guilty and prepares to testify against Young.

4. Judge to Rebekah: You made series of bad choices

During her sentencing, Rebekah Kinner told Judge Keith Spaeth, “I have lost everything that’s ever made me happy because of one mistake.”

The judge, disagreed, and pounced on her reasoning.

Judge Keith Spaeth made the decision to throw out all the testimony of Rebekah Kinner during the Bradley Young trial.

icon to expand image

“It wasn’t just one bad choice, it was a series of bad choices,” Spaeth said. “Where life had placed you, put you in relationships, having children in a relationship with the co-defendant (Bradley Young) and allowing him to have access to your child. It seems to me a much bigger, broader issue brought us where we are today.”

MORE: Kinsley’s dad to judge: ‘do not let up on this sentence’

5. Rebekah's testimony thrown out after she appeared to be 'intoxicated'

Rebekah Kinner took the stand at Young’s trial, but her testimony was later ordered not to be considered by the jury because the judge believed she was under the influence of medication and incompetent.

Rebekah Kinner testifies during the trial of Bradley Young in 2016.

icon to expand image

Pressed by the judge to explain her inconsistent answers while testifying, Rebekah Kinner admitted some of her answers were not true and she was responding “just to get (testifying) over with.”

JUDGE: Rebekah Kinner has trouble answering question truthfully 

Young was found guilty of murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangering in death of 2-year-old Kinsley Kinner.

Bradley Young, with attorney Frank Schiavone III, was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after being found guilty of murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangering in death of 2-year-old Kinsley Kinner.

icon to expand image

About the Author