Dad Gets 27 Years In Daughter’s Death

Sun., June 8, 1997

From Staff And Wire Reports

One year after the death of 2-year-old Amber Lequieu, her father has been sentenced to nearly 27 years in prison for killing her.

Christopher Edwards, 22, of Lynnwood, was sentenced Friday to 26 years, 8 months in Snohomish County Superior Court.

In chains, Edwards told the court he had loved his daughter and felt remorse.

“My heart aches every day, and I get sick thinking of her death,” he told Judge Ronald Castleberry.

Edward was convicted by a jury last month of homicide by abuse and second-degree murder. The longer sentence was for the abuse conviction. He also was sentenced to 12 years on the murder charge, with the sentences to run concurrently.

During the trial, family friends told how Edwards would carry his daughter by her hair, blow marijuana smoke in her nose, and give her bruising spankings.

An expert testified that the toddler suffered a head injury similar to one caused by a five-story fall.

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