Harford County (Map, News) - The nurse convicted of accidentally killing a 16-month-old boy with a dose of his mother’s methadone was sentenced to five years in prison for manslaughter Friday.

Elaine Marie Butler, 54, was given a 10-year sentence with five years suspended, followed by five years of probation and the order that she may never provide nursing care, child care or elder care except for immediate family members.

“In an age marked by uncaring people and an uncaring society, she cared,” said Harford Circuit Court Judge Stephen Waldron, referring to how Butler had taken in young Ashton Preston and his recovering addict mother, Kelly Briggs.

“However, she did commit a criminal wrong upon an innocent child.”

Butler clasped her hands in prayer as the sentence was given, and a number of friends from her church and work place came to testify during the five-day trial to her good intentions and love for those she had taken into her Darlington home.

“She had a good heart,” said Brenda Campbell, a fellow member of Edgewood Assembly of God. “She was one of God’s own saints.”

But prosecutor Salvatore Fili portrayed a different Butler in his request for the maximum sentence — a woman who did not call 911 or use her nurse’s training to help Ashton until hours after he drank the narcotic methadone left in a cup by Briggs, which Butler handed to Ashton.

“You’re a nurse; you save lives — what made Ashton’s life so different?” said Sharon Preston, Ashton’s grandmother, as she stared at Butler.

Ashton’s father, Timothy Preston, buried his head in his hands for most of the proceedings. In a quaking voice, he testified he had suffered nightmares, depression and thoughts of suicide since his son’s death.

“Every time I see a child and his father it’s like a slap in the face, knowing Ashton and I will never have that again,” he said.

“I’m very sorry for this act that I did, and I apologize to the family,” Butler said.

“I haven’t felt comfortable to say it since Ashton died; I never felt comfortably that they wanted anything from me… I kept it all in my heart.”

msantoni@baltimoreexaminer.com