Fairfax, VA – On Friday, Carmela dela Rosa, 51, was sentenced to 35 years in prison. In October, a jury found dela Rosa guilty of first degree murder for throwing her 2-year-old granddaughter to her death from the 45-foot high skywalk at Tysons Corner Center Mall.
On November 29, 2010, dela Rosa tossed Angelyn Ogdoc from the walkway as she walked with her family. The girl fell six stories to the ground.
The toddler was rushed to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where she quickly succumbed to her injuries.
The jury rejected the defense’s claims of insanity. At one point during the trial, they watched a videotaped confession in which dela Rosa told she thought about throwing Angelyn off the walkway while she was still inside the mall, several minutes before doing it.
Throughout the trial, prosecutors painted dela Rosa as an angry and depressed woman, telling jurors that she was furious with her son-in-law for getting her daughter pregnant out of wedlock.
Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Morrog told the court: “She was an angry, jealous and spiteful woman. There is no victim more innocent than a child, unable to defend herself.”
Prior to sentencing, the little girl’s mother, Mary Ogdoc told jurors: “She'll never be able to start kindergarten. It's hard to watch the kids going back to school. She doesn't have those milestones.”
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