The fate of a B.C. mom who smothered her eight-year-old daughter to death in 2014 will be decided in the fall.
The judge overseeing Wednesday’s sentencing hearing for Lisa Batstone, who was convicted of second-degree murder in March for her daughter Teagan’s killing, will reserve the decision until Sept. 3.
The emotional hearing ended with Batstone leaving the courtroom in tears after delivering a statement.
WATCH: (Aired March 22) B.C. mother found guilty of killing daughter
“I wake up to this excruciating nightmare,” she said sobbing. “She was the light in my life, she was the greatest love.
“I can’t believe that I did what I did. But I know her death was my fault.”
Batstone faces an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for at least 10 years.
Crown prosecutors want no parole for 16 to 18 years, arguing Batstone abused her position of trust to kill a child and has continued to attempt to deflect blame.
Defence is asking for the 10-year minimum.
Earlier in the day, Teagan’s father, Gabe, read a victim impact statement, saying he’s been forced to relive his worst nightmare and that his murdered daughter was robbed of marriage, holidays and children.
The girl’s stepmother, Stephanie, described how Teagan’s brothers asked if Lisa would kill them, too, and how the youngest keeps toy weapons under his bed because he lives in fear.
She also told the court how children on her sons’ school bus were taking turns guessing how Teagan died, adding that the oldest boy has switched schools and does not bring friends home anymore.
“This wasn’t a case of a suffering child. This wasn’t euthanasia. This wasn’t someone helping a child in a bad situation,” Gabe Batstone said outside the court.
WATCH: (Aired Jan. 22) Defence argues Lisa Batstone ‘didn’t perceive reality’ when she killed her daughter
“This was a healthy, happy, strong, loving child who had her life ripped from her at the hands of her mother.”
Lisa Batsone was charged with second-degree murder after police found Teagan’s lifeless body in the trunk of her vehicle in Surrey.
During her trial, the court heard that Batstone smothered the girl by holding a plastic bag over her head.
READ MORE: B.C. mom who smothered daughter didn’t perceive reality of what she was doing: Defence
The court also heard audio and video recordings of Batstone saying she wanted her daughter to “be with Jesus.”
Batstone was found mentally fit for trial, however, her defence argued there was evidence calling her mental state into question, and whether she was actually aware that what she was doing was morally wrong.
-With files from Grace Ke, Erin Ubels and the Canadian Press