ITHACA -- A 34-year-old woman is going to prison for 25 years to life for drowning her 2-year-old niece.

Tompkins County Judge John Sherman imposed the maximum penalty on Marie Manos. Sherman called Manos' crime the most depraved he had seen in 24 years as a judge.

Manos was convicted last month on two counts of second-degree murder in the death of Grace Manos in May 2007. One of the murder charges accused Manos of sexually abusing the toddler.

Manos said Wednesday that Grace's death was an accident for which she takes responsibility. But Manos continued to deny that she sexually abused the girl.