When the verdict was pronounced, all Kristen Cianfrini could do was cry.
Melissa Engelhardt, who in her mind, had murdered her 21-month-old son, Andrew Cianfrini, was getting away with it.
Even though experts had told Kristen a manslaughter rather than a murder verdict was possible, especially from a reportedly liberal Chumung County judge who would render the decision in a non-jury trial, she didn't want to believe it.
"I just pushed it out of my mind," Kristen said. "I just thought the evidence was there."
And according to Ed Minardo, director of Genesee Justice, who sat with Kristen through the entire trial, it was.
"How can somebody put poison in a sippy cup and over the next 24 hours watch a baby get sicker and not take him to the hospital and that not be depraved indifference?" said Minardo.
George Engelhardt, Melissa's husband, didn't know what his wife was up to, according to testimony, and Melissa resisted his attempts to get her to take Andrew to the hospital. He didn't know Andrew had been poisoned.
"He was devastated (by the verdict)," Minardo said.
Kristen said her former boyfriend and Andrew's father tried to divorce Melissa after Andrew's death, but couldn't because she was pregnant with the couple's second child.
George Engelhardt doesn't currently have a phone. We've contacted him through Facebook seeking comment.
Judge Peter C. Buckley took more than an hour to read his verdict, meticulously going through his reasoning, while the supporters of Andrew Cianfrini grew increasingly fearful as Buckley's line thinking started to become clear.
"It got to the point where it was just like, 'Get it over with and let us get out of here,'" Minardo said. "It was tortuous."
Minardo said Buckley skipped right past evidence that 24-year-old Englehardt had discussed with friends how to poison a toddler, and that she had researched through Google how to poison a baby.
According to Minardo, the judge said that Engelhardt was unable to comprehend the articles she found online because she only has a GED-level education.
Minardo said Buckley put a lot of stock in the fact that Engelhardt had read that convulsions would proceed death in a methanol poisoning, ignoring statements in the same article that death is likely if a person ingests methanol.
"He used the evidence he wanted to support the conclusion he wanted to arrive at," Minardo said.
Engelhardt's whole idea of poisoning Andrew started with the thought, according to Minardo, that she could some how pin it on Kristen. Even if Andrew didn't die, she could get Kristen labeled an unfit and neglectful parent. Then George and Melissa could gain sole custody, and George would no longer be required to pay child support.
If the Elmira resident had been convicted of murder, she could have been locked away for more than 25 years, possibility for life. With a manslaughter conviction, the sentence range is five to 25 years.
"Andrew's not coming back," said his grandmother, Jean Cianfrini. "There is no justice, no matter how long she gets. But if she only gets give years, I don't think this family can handle it."
Minardo is hoping many people from Genesee County write letters to the Chumung County Probation Department asking that Melissa Engelhardt receive a long, if not the maximum sentence. The department is preparing the required report that Buckley will review prior to sentencing.
Minardo said the community could make a difference.
"The fact that he did not find her guilty of murder second doesn't mean he needs to be lenient in the sentence Melissa gets," Minardo said.
A long prison sentence, Kristen said, would help restore some of her damaged faith in the criminal justice system.
Engelhardt is scheduled for sentencing at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 6, in Elmira.
Letters for presentencing review can be sent to:
Brian Dupont
Re: People v. Melissa Engelhardt
Chumung County Probation Department
203 Williams St.
Elmira, NY 14091
Photo: Jean Cianfrini, left, Kristen Cianfrini and Ed Minardo.
This outcome is absolutely
This outcome is absolutely unbelievable, as soon as I saw the verdict I was stunned. It is shocking that this judge ruled the way he did- and then to torture the family further by basically saying she is uneducated so she is not really responsible. Wow. Just wow. It just shows how truly subjective our laws are. I will be writing a letter to this probation department in support of the maximum sentence available for this wretched, evil woman.
She is educated enough to
She is educated enough to look up how to poison someone, to plan to harm Andrew and attempt to place the blame on someone else.
25 years is not long enough. Life without the possibility of parole is more appropriate.
I agree 100% with Jennifer.
I agree 100% with Jennifer. My letter will be on its way shortly. ANOTHER justice system failure. How many more are we going to put up with??
It isn't that I don't agree
It isn't that I don't agree with what seems to be an injustice, however, "our" legal system found her at fault w/o depraved indifference. Let the sentencing happen within those confines. She is a mother, too. It isn't that this woman should go unpunished, but even to go so far as a hanging, will not bring Andrew back. It's time for people to move on, to heal. There will always be pain in his loss, but don't spend the rest of your lives living with the bitterness.
My letter is on its way.
My letter is on its way. Andrew was my son's age and I can not even fathom what Kristen is feeling. RIP Andrew
Sorry Lisa, the point you
Sorry Lisa, the point you made about her being a mother is a valid point just not in the way you thought. She casually threw Andrew's life away over pettyness and selfishness, whos gonna protect her other children?
Everyone including the family agrees that no amount of time will bring Andrew back, but why not a jury trial? what is this Judge's point in doing the lesser sentence. If he gives her 5 years then a great injustice is done, to the father and family.
The only bitterness being generated is by the judicial system in it being kind to this selfish mother and not throwing the book at her. This opens the door for this kind of thing to happen again and again.
Le Roy man accused of making
Le Roy man accused of making video of developmentally disabled man in bath tub
Posted by Lisa Falkowski on October 28, 2010 - 2:15pm
This man should rot in prison!
Lisa, This was a disabled person who could not defend himself in the care of someone he trusted. I agree that David C. Ewell should rot in prison.
My question is: How is Andrew Cianfrini's death different? He was unable to defend himself against someone who was supposed to be caring for him. Now Andrew is dead. How can you say that his murderer does not deserve to "rot in prison" as you feel Ewell should? How is Andrew's death less of a crime than Ewell's?
I do not understand your push for the families of Andrew to put this behind them and move on. Or your idea that the sentence his murderer received was just.
My letter is on its way!
My letter is on its way! Please write yours!! It will make a difference if they get bombarded by letters.
She should rot in jail have no contact with her children EVER and get fixed so she cant ever have another child. I am appalled by this case. PREMEDITATED MURDER! A child no less.
One thing that really
One thing that really bothered me was that she discussed with her friends about how to poison a toddler and that she was researching it. I would also guess that they knew she wanted her husband to gain custody of the baby and the issues she had with the situation. How could they not put it all together and report that they fear something may be done to harm that toddler? I would not care how close of a friend they were, if they were asking and researching something like that and the situation she was in with a toddler in her home I would have reported it. I hope they all realize it now.
This comment really got to me:
Le Roy man accused of making video of developmentally disabled man in bath tub
Posted by Lisa Falkowski on October 28, 2010 - 1:15pm
This man should rot in prison!
But then she says:
Posted by Lisa Falkowski on November 12, 2010 - 4:59pm
Let me guess ... conviction wasn't enough? The Cianfrini family isn't happy with justice? Let's continue to harvest our anger and stick it to the rest of the world? Let it go!
Now both crimes are beyond horrible but the family of a murdered toddler should "let it go" and the pervert who took pictures should rot in prison? They BOTH should rot in prison. She planned and murdered a child!