N.Y. mom sentenced to 12 years for killing disabled daughter

MINEOLA, N.Y. -- A Long Island woman who admitted killing her 8-year-old disabled daughter the day she was to be a flower girl in a relative's wedding has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Veronica Cirella pleaded guilty in May to manslaughter. She admitting to taking the life of her daughter, Julie Cirella in July 2011. The girl, who had cerebral palsy and used a wheelchair, died on the day she was supposed to participate in her uncle's wedding.

Police initially said the girl died after being given M&Ms by her mother, who knew the child had a peanut allergy. An autopsy found the child died of asphyxiation and no peanuts were found in her system.

Veronica Cirella also left a suicide note asserting an intention to kill her daughter, prosecutors said. She declined to speak at her sentencing Friday.

"Julie Cirella's young life was cut tragically short by the one person who should have protected her," Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said in a statement. "While nothing can bring this young victim back, I commend our prosecutors and partners in law enforcement for bringing justice in this case."

Cirella's attorney William Keahon said exact details of what happened will likely never be known.

"She had asthma, it could have been an asthma attack," he told CBS New York. "Number two is acid reflux -- she could have choked."