Leavenworth woman sentenced to life for raping 16-month-old girl

A Leavenworth woman was sentenced to life in prison for raping a 16-month-old girl.

Mahogany Jaelene Payne, 41, will not be eligible for parole for 25 years. Her attorney had asked the Leavenworth County judge for probation.

Payne was babysitting the girl and a 5-year-old at her home in January 2016.

“Sometime during the day (she) penetrated the baby’s vagina causing blunt force penetrating trauma,” according to a statement from Leavenworth County prosecutor Todd Thompson.

A jury found Payne guilty of rape. The jury acquitted Payne of charges involving the older child. Payne has a prior conviction for child abuse in 1999 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

“I’ve seen a lot of cases, but I can’t think of many worse than this,” Thompson said. “I’m sad we even have to be here for something like this. I am thankful justice was done and this child will never have a memory of this incident.”

This story was originally published December 11, 2017 at 9:09 AM with the headline "Leavenworth woman sentenced to life for raping 16-month-old girl."