Mother Gets 20 Years in Toddler’s Death

Christina Martin wept Thursday after she received a 20-year prison sentence for the death of her toddler.

Martin, 29, of Mossy Head, pleaded no contest to felony aggravated manslaughter of a child. Her 23-month-old daughter, Carolyn, died Aug. 25, 2006, after Martin left her unattended in a pickup truck during the heat of the day. The child died from heat exposure.

Martin left Carolyn in the truck for nearly 50 minutes while she went inside her home and fell asleep. When she found her daughter, she placed her in the bathtub and went to a neighbor’s home to call 9-1-1. Martin told investigators the neighbor wouldn’t let her use the phone, so she drove to Crestview to get her mother, leaving the child home alone. Martin did not call 9-1-1 until she returned later with her mother.

Carolyn was dead when authorities arrived.

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