July 28, 2016
Irvington Mother Sentenced to 45 Years for Starving Daughter to Death
Two other children were starved
Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that the Honorable Michael L. Ravin, Judge of the Superior Court, sentenced Krisla Rezierkyson Kris, also known as Venette Ovilde, to 45 years in New Jersey state prison yesterday for starving her three children, causing the death of one, in May of 2011.
Rezierkyson Kris, 34, of Irvington was found guilty on March 22, of aggravated manslaughter for killing her 8- year old daughter, Christiana Glenn.
Yesterday, Judge Ravin sentenced her to 25 years for aggravated manslaughter. Under the No Early Release Act, Rezierkyson Kris must serve 21 years, three months and a day in state prison for the aggravated manslaughter before she is eligible for parole. She was also sentenced to two 10-year sentences for two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
The child died from starvation and the mother’s failure to seek medical treatment for a broken femur bone, the largest bone in the leg. Instead, the mother poured salt and gasoline in the wound and covered it with cornmeal.
In addition to aggravated manslaughter, the mother was also convicted of numerous other charges, including multiple counts of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child and conspiracy. In addition to the child who died, Rezierkyson Kris was found guilty of starving and abusing the two surviving children, a 6-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl, who were discovered by homicide detectives behind a boarded wall so malnourished they could no longer walk or hold their heads up. They too suffered multiple broken bones from beatings.
At trial, the surviving girl testified the children were locked in a room from morning until night with just a bowl of water mixed with a white paste and ordered not to drink from it until 12 noon. They were tied to a radiator and at times forced to kneel on metal oven grates with objects on their heads.
Assistant Prosecutor Dawn Simonetti, who tried the case with Assistant Prosecutor Kathleen Lyons-Boswick, said, “We believe this was a just outcome given the abuse and neglect these children endured over three years at the hands of their mother.’’
Charges are still pending against Myriam Janvier, 29, who also lived in the Irvington apartment. She is expected to be tried separately. Simonetti said no date has been set yet for her trial.
