The B.C. mother found guilty of smothering her 8-year-old daughter to death is appealing the verdict and her life sentence, according to Crown counsel.
Lisa Batstone was sentenced this month to life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years for killing her daughter Teagan on Dec. 10, 2014, after being found guilty of second-degree murder in March.
On Wednesday, the B.C. Prosecution Service confirmed Batstone’s lawyers had filed a notice of appeal against both the sentence and the earlier conviction.
The court heard that Teagan was smothered with a plastic bag, and prosecutors played video and audio recordings of her mother saying she wanted her daughter to “be with Jesus.”
Crown argued that Batstone had knowingly killed the girl, doing it while Teagan slept to ensure she didn’t suffer.
Batstone plead not guilty to the charge, with defence calling for a lesser charge of manslaughter.
WATCH: (June 12) Sentencing hearing for B.C. mother who killed her daughter
She was found mentally fit for trial, but her lawyer argued there was evidence calling her mental state into question and whether she was actually aware that what she was doing was morally wrong.
Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 16 to 18 years, arguing that Batstone had abused her position of trust to kill her daughter and that she had deflected blame since the murder.
Defence had asked for the 10-year minimum sentence.
WATCH: (March 22) B.C. mother found guilty of killing daughter
In her reasons for sentencing on Sept. 3, Justice Catherine Murray said Batstone planned to smother her daughter Teagan before killing herself, but she could not follow through with the suicide.
Murray said Batstone’s actions were “selfish” and intended to ensure her daughter did not end up with her ex-husband after her own death.
She said though Batstone was likely suffering from depression, anxiety and borderline personality disorder at the time, her mental issues did not significantly mitigate her moral culpability.
Court records show a hearing for the appeal is scheduled for April 9, 2020.
—With files from Janet Brown and Simon Little
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