Mom gets 40 years in prison in death of girl found in fridge

HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston woman has been sentenced to 40 years in prison in the neglect-related death of her 9-year-old daughter, whose emaciated body was found in a refrigerator.

Amber Keyes was sentenced Friday in state district court in Houston. The 36-year-old mother of Ayahna Comb could have gotten a life sentence for her Dec. 18 guilty plea to injury to a child by omission in the girl's death.

The child, who had cerebral palsy, weighed 14 pounds when some children looking for food found her body in the crisper drawer of Keyes' refrigerator in June 2014. An autopsy determined Ayahna died of malnutrition and dehydration.

Keyes has said she found Ayahna unresponsive in January 2014, couldn't revive her, wrapped her in a blanket and put her in the refrigerator.