Mother Sentenced to 25 Years

"It took a long time to kill the child," Ebert said, adding that it was "a horrible, horrible case."

Ebert also reminded the court of the international ramifications of the case -- that Nina's death had created a strain between the Russian government and U.S. couples hoping to adopt.

Ebert said the court received many letters from parents across the nation saying that their adoptions have been affected by the Hilt case.

"Most of them were pretty heartbroken about it," he said. "And, for right or wrong, they blame Mrs. Hilt."

One such couple is Richard and Wanda Verne, of Jacksonville, Fla.

They were in the process of adopting two 3-year-old girls from the same region as Nina when her death stopped the proceedings indefinitely. When they learned that Hilt was sentenced to 35 years, with 10 of those years suspended -- a sentence that exceeds the guideline of 12 to 21 years -- they said the punishment should have been harsher.

"She was selfish not to get help," said Wanda Verne, 49.

They last saw the girls they planned to adopt just weeks after Hilt's death. The girls are now 5, and the Vernes said they still don't have a court date to finalize the adoption.

"For two years, they have been told mama and papa will come to get them someday," Wanda Verne said. "I'm sure they are wondering where we are."

Hilt had adopted another girl, Nataliya, from Ukraine. There were no signs that the child had been abused, police said. Stephens said yesterday that she is staying with her adoptive father's family.