Matthews, 33, of Linden, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree reckless manslaughter in the Feb. 25, 2010, death of Xavier Gentleman
ELIZABETH — Diana Matthews stared at the floor as Assistant Prosecutor Ann Luvera described the injuries that led to the death of her 2-year-old foster son.
"His face looked like he had been in a boxing match," Luvera said at Matthews’ sentencing in Superior Court in Union County Friday.
Matthews, 33, of Linden, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree reckless manslaughter in the Feb. 25, 2010, death of Xavier Gentleman.
She had raised the boy from infancy and was his legal guardian, as well as the guardian of his two siblings, in addition to her own three sons.
But under her care, the boy was habitually beaten over a six-month period leading to his death, prosecutors said.
"The defendant had a duty to care for the victim," Judge Joseph Donohue said before passing sentence on Matthews. "When she became aware her own children were mistreating X.G., the abuse was ignored. She violated her duty as caregiver."
Prosecutors would not say which children abused the boy. Xavier’s siblings were 2 months and 18 months old at the time of his death. Matthews’ sons were 9, 10 and 12.
Matthews’ sons now live with their father, and Xavier’s siblings were placed in foster care after their brother’s death, authorities said. None of the children has been charged, prosecutors said.
Public defender Peter Liguori asked the judge for leniency in determining how much of the suggested 10-year sentence Matthews would serve.
"The infliction of pain in and of itself can’t be attributed to Ms. Matthews," Liguori said. "She turned her back on X.G. while others inflicted pain on this child."
Matthews wore a blue prison uniform and declined to speak at her sentencing.
Vanessa Gentleman, Xavier’s biological mother and a friend of Matthews’, spoke of her conflicted feelings.
"Part of me feels like she needs help and prison isn’t the place to get that," Gentleman said. "The other part feels like I don’t have my son anymore and she took him from me."
Gentleman served more than two years in state prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl she had mentored in a middle school, according to State Police. She was released in 2005 and is under lifetime parole supervision.
In court Friday, Gentleman said her 3-year-old daughter who had also lived with Matthews is in therapy.
"She replays everything that happened in that house," Gentleman said.
Matthews’ husband, sister and other family members and friends attended the sentencing but declined to comment.
Matthews was investigated by child welfare officials five times in the past decade, most recently in September 2009, and four other times from 2000 to 2006 on various allegations, including drug use, authorities said. A case history report said the drug use claims were substantiated, but the others were not.
The state Department of Children and Families launched an investigation last year after Xavier’s death and reviewed all contacts made with Matthews and the children, a spokeswoman said.