Peggy Hilt sentence reduced PDF Print E-mail

VikaA judge in Manassas, VA, agreed to reduce sentence for Peggy Hilt, a North Carolina resident, who on July 1, 2005, beat to death her daughter adopted from Russia.


Hilt, 34, was sentenced in May to serve 25 years of a 35-year prison sentence, which went beyond the recommended guidelines between 12 and 21 years. She appeared last week before Judge William D. Hamblen of Prince William County Circuit Court for a motion to reconsider the length of her sentence. Her defense attorney, William R. Stephens, argued that Hilt has made substantial progress toward rehabilitation. Stephens also said he thought that media attention and focus on how the case has affected Russian adoption policy may have had an impact on the sentence Hamblen imposed.

After hearing testimony from Hilt on Thursday, Hamblen granted Stephens' motion and suspended 16 years of Hilt's original sentence, leaving her with 19 years to serve.

Hilt pleaded guilty in March to second-degree murder in the death of Nina Victoria Hilt, a girl she and her husband adopted from Russia.

The beating happened July 1, 2005, at the Hilts' Wake Forest, N.C., home. Read all the articles related to Hilt.



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Comments (6)
Re:
6 Thursday, 15 April 2010 11:19
Penny
So many times, these adoptive parents refused to have children of their own, because they could not be bothered; they go out, and buy a child. Many of the parents, could never pass the stringent guidelines for a US adoption, and there is a reason for that! They should have to undergo the same investigative process, the same background and psychological checks, as required for a US adoption...no matter how much money they have.
I agree with the woman that said there was a reason that God never let Hilt have children of her own. Think about it; this was not someone giving a child a black eye, this was not someone even whipping a child with an electrical cord, (both of which would result in your children being taken away from you). She hated the child, who probably developed many of her behaviors after being rejected by a cold, unaffectionate, adoptive mother. That is why the child's behaviors worsened. She kicked a baby to death, for God's sake!!! What is wrong with these people? She should be in jail for LIFE; she should have been given the death penalty. Every time some evil *itch harms her child, they will say they have a mental illness; the only mental illness this woman has is she lacks empathy for other humans. The name for that is "sociopath," or in this case, "Psychopath;" which she clearly is. She is just telling people what they want to hear, to get out early. At the very least, it should have been life, without the possibility of parole.
Sad story
5 Saturday, 11 October 2008 10:11
Kimmy
There is no excuse for Peggy's past behavior, lowering her time in jail will not change anything.  People follow patterns.  She reacted in anger and violence when things weren't perfect.  People don't change.  You have to rank her up there with the other Mothers that kill.  Too bad she didn't react with love. Love would have saved that broken angel baby...
Crazy
4 Tuesday, 22 July 2008 16:57
Helen
Peggy Hilt should of got LIFE! MURDER is Murder. I have two kids of my own and if God doesn't give you Children then it's not meant for a reason. Peggy Hilt couldn't stay Pregnant for a reason.
RAD reactive attachment disorder
3 Friday, 04 July 2008 17:32
Megan Kipp
This is clearly a terrible tragedy. However, it frustrates me as to the comments on this page. Are you all really so ignorant to be unaware of the difficulties of reactive attachment disorder? Don’t get me wrong, clearly a crime was committed and this is a terrible situation, however this was not a "bad child and a bad mother" but a child who was unable to have a healthy bond with anyone; just because she bonded "easily" with her father means nothing, other then she was indescribably attaching to others. I work with eastern European adoptees, and feel horrible for child and mother.
Insane
2 Monday, 31 March 2008 09:40
Mommy of 3
This is insane, children are supposed to be protected by their parents.  This little girl was not only let down once, by her birth parents, but yet again by someone who "chose" her, someone who chose to be her parents and protect her.  Where was the dad in all of this?  Obviously oblivious.  Maybe there were more problems than just between the mother and child.
Outrage
1 Thursday, 27 March 2008 08:36
Haley's Mom
This is so outrageous.  Do our kids (yes, mine is adopted from Russia) make us crazy?  Yep.  Is that an excuse for beating a 2 1/2 year old to death?  NEVER.  I don't care how remorseful or rehabilitated she is.  She KICKED AND BEAT THAT CHILD TO DEATH!  IMO, the 25 year sentence was too lenient.

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