A woman in Illinois could face life in prison after repeatedly abusing and kicking her 8-year-old stepdaughter until her intestines ripped.

According to WGLT, Cynthia Baker was convicted of murder on Tuesday for the death of Rica Rountree.

Police collected cellphone video from the woman and her boyfriend Richard Rountree showing evidence of ongoing abuse inflicted on the girl. The video, presented at the testimony last week, shows Baker banging the girl’s head against the wall and slapping her naked body.

According to text messages shared with the court, Baker and Rountree complained to each other about Rica and wanted her to live somewhere else. The girl's siblings reportedly witnessed the ongoing abuse, but they weren't bothered because it'd become a regular occurrence in the house.

Rica was ill for five days before she died, vomiting at dinner and almost falling down the stairs because she couldn't see clearly, The Sun reported.

She died from her injuries on January 26 after being taken to the hospital for medical care a day earlier, according to 25 News.

Rica attended three schools before her death, WGLT reported. A teacher, a school nurse and a teacher’s assistant from those schools served as witnesses and said they didn't see anything concerning about the girl's health. Another witness, however, said Rica’s hair was unkempt and her clothes weren't as nice as those of Baker’s other daughter.

Baker reportedly urged her boyfriend “to lie and take the blame” during his testimony, but he never testified.

The 41-year-old woman has been found guilty of murder, guilty of aggravated battery of a child, guilty of domestic battery and guilty of child endangerment. She will be sentenced on February 3.

According to the American Society For the Positive Care of Children, 1,720 children in the United States died from abuse and neglect in 2017.

Rica Rountree

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