Woman convicted in 'Wyatt's Law' case sentenced to prison

Rachel Edwards given 33 months to 10 years in prison for child abuse conviction

Rachel Edwards hid her face as she walked into court Thursday for her sentence on a child abuse conviction.

The mother of the boy she was accused of abusing recalled in court the moments after she arrived at a hospital in 2013 to find her child struggling to stay alive.

"I immediately dropped to my knees sobbing. I have never felt so scared in my life," Erica Hammel said.

Her then 1-year-old son, Wyatt, had suffered brain damage and other injuries after being violently shaken by Edwards.

"I walked into the room and saw my baby boy. His body was gray looking," Hammel said.

Edwards was dating Wyatt's father at the time of the abuse.

Edwards attorney read a statement on her behalf in court.

"Judge, I am just your average law abiding citizen regardless what it says in the paper. It is a tragedy what happened to Wyatt and I do not blame the family for seeking justice. I am a mother of three children of my own," it read.

Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Richard Caretti called Edwards' actions heinous and sentenced her to 33 months to 10 years in prison.

Hammel said her son has permanent effects from the abuse and will continually need special care. She also said she believes she could have saved her son from the abuse if she had known that Edwards had been convicted of child abuse before.

She is pushing for "Wyatt's Law," which would create a registry for convicted child abusers.

Previous story: Michigan mother pushes for convicted child abuser registry

"I am going to make it my life's mission that when Ms. Edwards gets out of prison, she or any other person who physically abuses a child, will have to register as a child abuser -- just like a sex offender," Hammel said.

Backing Hammel's efforts is Christyne Kadlitz, the mother of Edwards' first abuse victim.

Edwards was convicted twice of abusing Kadlitz's son Travis.

"I think it is amazing. I think it could help so many people in so many ways. And I support it a hundred percent," Kadlitz said.

Click here to view the online petition for Wyatt's Law.