Couple who beat 5-year-old girl to death now expecting a baby

A South Carolina husband and wife who were sentenced Monday in the gruesome beating death of the woman's 5-year-old daughter are expecting a baby.

April Gleason will have her baby in prison as she serves out an 18 year sentence for three counts of unlawful neglect of a child, which prosecutors say contributed to the death of Soren Chilson.

Both April Gleason and her husband, Bryan Gleason, pleaded guilty to roles in Soren's death, which prosecutors said came after a "month-long killing" at the hands of Mr. Gleason.

Bryan Gleason was sentenced to 38 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in Soren's death. The Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart recipient was accused of beating Soren on three occasions in 2013.

Soren died of blunt force trauma on March 15, 2013 after Gleason told police the child had a seizure and was coughing up blood.

Before she died, prosecutors said Soren had numerous bruises, broken bones and older injuries inflicted by Mr. Gleason, WSOC reports.

In court, a prosecutor read text messages between the couple in which Mr. Gleason reportedly admitted to hurting Soren and his wife did nothing. Moreover, prosecutors said Mrs. Gleason bought makeup to cover up the bruises.

Mrs. Gleason defended herself in court, saying in a statement: "When Soren was born, my entire life changed, and being her mother was and is the greatest joy of my life."

After Gleason gives birth behind bars, social services is likely to take custody of the child.