A woman who pleaded guilty in the beating death of her 4-year-old nephew will spend 20 years in state prison, Circuit Court Judge Brandy Hambright ruled Thursday.

Yolanda Denise Coale, 55, pleaded guilty in December to reckless manslaughter for her role in the death of 4-year-old King Lyons. The boy was found unresponsive inside a home in early February 2022. Mobile Fire-Rescue personnel pronounced the child dead at the scene.

Coale was arrested the following day, initially charged with aggravated child abuse. That charge was later upgraded to murder, but in December she entered a best-interest plea of guilty to reckless manslaughter. A best interest plea, or blind plea, allows a defendant to plead guilty while maintaining their innocence.

The 20-year sentence handed down Thursday is the maximum allowed under state law. Coale was given credit for time served, which includes the nine days she spent in the Mobile Metro Jail before being released after posting $150,000 bond.

Court records show investigators believe Coale allowed the boy’s 9-year-old sister to beat him with a broomstick in February 2022. However, the boy was also found to have signs of long-term child abuse.