French Mother Sentenced to Life for Starving Daughter to Death in Harrowing Abuse Case
French Mother Sentenced to Life for Starving Daughter to Death in Harrowing Abuse Case
A French woman, Sandrine Pissarra, 54, was sentenced to life in prison on Friday for the horrific abuse and starvation of her 13-year-old daughter, Amandine, who died of a heart attack in 2020 after enduring years of torture.
Convicted of acts of torture and barbarity, Pissarra must serve a minimum of 20 years before being eligible for parole. The sentence, the maximum allowed for her crime, was handed down by a panel of three judges and six jurors during the trial in Montpellier.
Amandine’s stepfather, Jean-Michel Cros, 49, received a 20-year prison sentence for neglecting to provide care for the girl. His sentence, which carried no possibility of parole, exceeded the 18 years prosecutors initially sought, though it fell short of the maximum 30 years.
When Amandine died on August 6, 2020, she weighed only 28 kilograms (62 pounds) despite being 1.55 meters (5.1 feet) tall. A medical report revealed she suffered from extreme weight and muscle loss, septicaemia, tooth loss, and hair pulling. Locked in a windowless storage room for weeks and deprived of food, Amandine endured relentless abuse from her mother.
From an early age, Amandine was subjected to beatings with brooms, punches, kicks, shouting, insults, and repeated humiliation, according to prosecutor Jean-Marie Beney. “For Pissarra, domestic tyrant, dictator of the home, executioner of Amandine, there can only be one sentence — a life term with a minimum of 20 years served in prison,” Beney stated.
Pissarra, who owned a nail salon, claimed Amandine had eating disorders, though this was refuted by evidence and witnesses. On the day of her death, Pissarra said Amandine consumed only a piece of sugar, fruit purée, and a high-protein drink before vomiting and ceasing to breathe.
The prosecutor described Cros as a “cowardly collaborator” who enabled the abuse by depriving Amandine of care. A report by the investigating magistrate noted the violence inflicted on Amandine was deliberate and intended to subject her to prolonged, humiliating suffering.
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Psychiatrists stated Pissarra’s anger and violent tendencies were an attempt to “transfer her hatred” for Amandine’s father onto her daughter. Pissarra, who has eight children from three relationships, has been in custody since May 2021.
One of her lawyers, Jean-Marc Darrigade, acknowledged her responsibility but suggested society also bore some blame. He urged jurors to deliver a “fair, reasonable sentence,” allowing her to “return to society” without being “an old lady.”
