Sandrine Pissarra, a 54-year-old woman in France, has been sentenced to life in prison for the horrific abuse and starvation of her 13-year-old daughter, Amandine, who died in August 2020. The court heard that Pissarra had subjected Amandine to years of physical and emotional abuse, including beatings, hair-pulling, and confinement in a windowless storage room where she was monitored by cameras and deprived of food. At the time of her death, Amandine weighed just 62 pounds despite being 5’1″.
Prosecutors revealed that Pissarra’s actions stemmed from hatred toward Amandine’s father, which she projected onto her daughter. A psychiatric evaluation confirmed that Pissarra saw Amandine as a representation of her ex-partner and inflicted severe torture as a result. The abuse left Amandine with extreme weight loss, muscle deterioration, and septicemia, ultimately leading to her death.
Pissarra’s former partner, Jean-Michel Cros, was also sentenced to 20 years in prison for his complicity, as he failed to intervene or provide care for Amandine. During the trial, Pissarra apologized to her other children but offered no further explanation for her actions. Her defense team argued for shared responsibility among adults who were aware of Amandine’s suffering but failed to act.
The court’s decision to impose the maximum sentence underscores the severity of the crime and the systemic failure to protect Amandine. The case has sparked calls for increased vigilance and accountability in child welfare systems.
