Babysitter Convicted Of Second-Degree Murder In 6-Month-Old's Death

A 45-year-old Burlington woman has been sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after a jury convicted her of second-degree murder in the 2014 death of a 6-month-old under her care.

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said that Pallavi Macharla was found guilty Monday in connection with the death of Ridhima Dhekane, whose death on March 27, 2014, was originally found by a medical examiner to be consistent with injuries from being shaken.

Months later, the same medical examiner issued a new ruling, saying the cause of death was unknown and the injuries could have been caused by efforts to save the child's life.

Jurors in the trial needed to weigh the conflicting autopsy reports. They started deliberating on Friday. Macharla was also sentenced Monday by Judge Kenneth Fishman.

Macharla trained as a doctor in her native India.