Mother sentenced in son’s 2009 death

By News Staff

news@abc6.com

@ABC6

Reporting by:

Melissa Randall

A West Warwick mother will spend almost 9 years behind bars after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Trisha Oliver cried at her sentencing Tuesday, but the judge didn’t buy it. Oliver will spend the next 8 years and 9 months at the ACI and then be on probation until 2036.

Her son, 6–year–old Marco Nieves, was beaten to death in 2009 at the hands of Oliver’s then boyfriend, Michael Patino. He’s currently serving a life sentence.

Prosecutors say Oliver had plenty of opportunities to get the boy help as he begged for his life, but instead thought of herself, getting high, and how to protect Patino, who allegedly controlled her through regular abuse.

Her attorney says his client admits she failed Marco, and that she has accepted responsibility for that, but the judge said Oliver’s emotions were focused solely on herself.

Marco would have been just shy of his 13th birthday.

(C) WLNE–TV 2016