Melissa Brittle , 38 , was sentenced to 20 years in prison for failing to report the abuse of her grandson . A Maryland woman who stood by while her husband horrifically whipped , shook and kicked his grandson to death has been sentenced to 20 years in prison . Prosecutors say Melissa Dawn Brittle , 38 , of Thurmont , Maryland , encouraged husband Raymond Brittle to punish two-year-old Robert Dean Watkins - who was staying with the Brittles and their three children at the time . Robert died in a Washington , DC , hospital on September 8 , 2013 following injuries that State 's Attorney Charlie Smith called the most horrific he has ever seen , according to the Frederick News-Post . Mrs Brittle waited until the next day to take the unconscious boy to the hospital . She told police that Robert had fallen down the stairs . Mrs Brittle 's lawyer argued that she was terrified of her emotionally abusive husband and intimidated into covering up his violence against little Robert . Defense attorney Mary Drawbaugh told Daily Mail Online that Brittle had no job , no high school diploma and no driver 's license . 'We adamantly denied that she encouraged the child in any way , ' Mrs Drawbaugh said . Raymond Brittle has admitted to horrifically beating two-year-old Robert Dean Watkins to death in September 2013 . The Brittles were looking after the boy for his mother . 'She did come clean and cooperated with police and did facilitate a call to her husband in which he confessed to the crime . ' Drawbaugh asked for a 12-year sentence , the lowest end of the sentencing spectrum for the case , arguing that Mrs Brittle helped bring about her husband 's guilty plea and had been prepared to testify against him . Mrs Brittle faced up to 40 years in prison under a state law that says failing to report child abuse also constitutes child abuse . A judge on Wednesday ordered her held for 20 years , with 20 years suspended . Robert Dean Watkins was the step-grandson of Raymond Brittle . Raymond and Melissa has agreed to take care of the child for his mother . Raymond Brittle has also pleaded guilty in the child abuse case and faces 55 years in prison . He is scheduled to be sentenced next week . Prosecutors say he routinely beat and battered Robert while he was caring for his grandchild . On September 5 , he became enraged at the boy when he would n't eat dinner . He whipped the children with a belt and kicked him . Investigators say he also lifted the boy by his head and shook him . An autopsy found that most of the boy 's body was covered with bruises . He also had a fracture that covered three quarter of his skull and the injuries caused his brain to shift .
Melissa Brittle was sentenced under Maryland law that says failing to report child abuse also constitutes child abuse . Her husband Raymond Brittle whipped , kicked , shook and beat two-year-old Robert Watkins to death in September 2013 . Her lawyer says she is uneducated , was abused by her husband and terrified of him .