BOSTON

Man Convicted of Killing Bella Bond Sentenced to Life in Prison With Possibility of Parole After 20 Years

Michael McCarthy’s lawyers plan to appeal his conviction

A Boston man who was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 2-year-old Bella Bond was sentenced Wednesday.

The judge sentenced Michael McCarthy, 37, to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years.

Bella Bond's biological father, Joe Amoroso, spoke before McCarthy's sentencing, saying he was "robbed of my chance" to be Bella's father.

"No justice on Earth fixes the grief," he said.

McCarthy was found guilty by jurors on Monday after five days of deliberation and 15 days of testimony. 

His defense attorneys plan to appeal his conviction, insisting that Bella's mother, Rachelle Bond, is the one responsible for the young girl's death. 

After Bella's body washed ashore on Deer Island in Winthrop in June 2015, she was only known as "Baby Doe" until three months later, when a tip led to the arrests McCarthy and Bond. Both McCarthy and Rachelle Bond were arrested in September 2015 after Bond told a friend that McCarthy killed Bella, the friend then calling investigators with the tip. 

Bond was scheduled to be sentenced to time served on Tuesday after pleading guilty to accessory charges in February in connection with her daughter's death. However, the judge postponed it to July 12 after they were unable to secure an bed at an inpatient substance abuse recovery center.

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