Mack, who wore an orange jumpsuit, orange slip-on shoes and glasses, remained mostly impassive as her uncle spoke, occasionally looking at attendees and giving small smiles to some.
Another relative read a statement on behalf of the girl’s guardian, who said she recently chose to tell the child the “difficult truth” about her parents, then held her as she cried.
Now she “does not want to speak to her mother” or be raised by her, the statement said, adding that she is “amazing” and “empathetic” in spite of, not because of, Mack.
Mack said in her statement that she wants to be the best mother possible and that being a mother has helped her to grow.
“I understand my mom in a way I didn’t before,” Mack said.
Wiese-Mack was ‘very thoughtful and had a beautiful smile’
Mack’s lawyers had sought a 15-year prison term, but with credit for her seven years in the Indonesian prison.
The government also wanted Mack to get five years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution of $262,708. In a filing last week, prosecutors said the recommended sentence was “warranted and sufficient, but not greater than necessary to serve a just and appropriate punishment for Mack’s heinous crime”.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
