Six years in prison for a Yarmouth woman who killed her toddler.

Thirty-two-year-old April Surette was sentenced Thursday afternoon on a charge of manslaughter in the death of her 17-month-old son, Isaiha.

Judge Mark Scott accepted a joint recommendation from the Crown and defence.

He said the law is clear, that joint recommendations must not be rejected unless contrary to public interest.

Surette pleaded guilty to the charge in December, shortly before a trial was scheduled to begin.

In December, 2020, feeling overwhelmed, Surette threw the boy onto a hardwood floor in a moment of frustration while changing his diaper.

The boy died days later in Halifax hospital.

Five other children of Surette’s were home at the time, the incident was witnessed by one of them.

In his sentencing, Judge Scott, with his voice breaking, said it’s hard to imagine a greater societal loss than a young child by a parent they depended on.

He said despite no criminal history, one act of violence was all that it took to kill Isaiha.

Judge Scott told Surette that he doesn’t want her to feel like she’s an evil person, but the sentence must punish the conduct, as a young, vulnerable child has been taken, and it’s shaken the community.

He noted the guilty plea is important, as it spared her son from testifying against her as a witness, and that she’s taken full responsibility for her actions.

The Judge also hopes Surette will get rehabilitation while in prison, and can one day move forward.

An emotional Surette declined to speak in court before the sentencing.

She has also been banned from owning firearms for 10 years, and must submit DNA.