Victoria Dalton, a 13-year-old girl who loved Halloween, was sentenced Friday to up to 14 years in prison for smothering the two children she took care of. The judge urged her to seek treatment during her time in jail.

The court heard that Dalton was fascinated by horror-themed movies, masks and scaring little children. She loved anything that stood for spooky or dark, and was particularly fond of Halloween. She would often be seen dressed in a costume on her way to school.

Judge Orla Crowe told Dalton that she had committed a very serious offence and she was at a higher risk of reoffending. She questioned whether she was mentally able to stand trial and asked for her to be treated as an adult.

At the police station, V.M.D was separated from her mother and sister and did not get anything to eat. She was nervous, scared and confused. The officers she spoke to were nice, but she did not feel like she could leave. She did not believe she was being forced to give a statement. No officer read her her rights, did not tell her she could go to see her mother or say she did not have to answer questions.

Cheryl Flagmeier works for child protective services and conducts initial assessments of homes where there are concerns that children may be at risk. She testified that when she went to the home of V.M.D and her siblings on January 6, 1995, she found them in bed sleeping. She could hear Jesse and Timothy playing outside the bedroom, but they did not respond to her when she called out to them.