A woman accused of killing her daughter in a case that exposed alarming deficiencies in Alameda County’s child welfare system has been sentenced to nearly 16 years in prison.

Samantha Johnson, Sophia Mason’s mother, was originally arrested on suspicion of murder but entered a plea to voluntary manslaughter, two counts of child abuse and two enhancements for causing great bodily injury in connection with the 8-year-old’s death.

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Kiley Russell writes primarily for Local News Matters on issues related to equity and the environment. A Bay Area native, he has lived most of his life in Oakland. He studied journalism at San Francisco State University, worked for the Associated Press and the former Contra Costa Times, among other outlets. He has covered everything from state legislatures, local governments, federal and state courts, crime, growth and development, political campaigns of various stripes, wildfires and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.