A mother relates in court how her daughter's death has affected her life

She brought a healthy baby to daycare only to return to find her child was dead. Today, a Virginia Beach woman took the stand during an appeal hearing for Ann Marie Cardinal. Cardinal pled guilty to running an illegal daycare in Virginia Beach, where the child died in her care. Her attorney points out that a 10 year sentence for pleading guilty to 10 misdemeanors is a harsh punishment, so he tried to get the length reduced. But the judge took into consideration Cardinal's past. She was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, accused of child abuse, and was running a daycare with no license, no proper training, and too many kids. In her home, Trish Weiss surrounds herself with the face of her daughter. In court, Weiss was fixated on another face. It belongs to the woman Weiss blames for her baby's girl's death. "I want you to remember this face - I want you to remember, Annie" she said. Annie is Ann Marie Cardinal. Today a judge upheld her sentence of 10 years for 10 days of running a daycare illegally on High Point Avenue. The judge passed the decision despite Cardinal's own pleas in a letter she read to the court. Her husband was in court to hear the decision. Cardinal has not been charged in any homicides. Virginia Beach Police began looking into her daycare last September when nine month old Hannah Weiss died in her care. In court, a detective played an interview in which Cardinal said she tried to give the girl CPR. However, police and Hannah's parents would learn Cardinal had no certification. Today in court, Hannah's mother took the stand. "How do you explain the bruises and cuts on her face? You don't get that from napping" she said. Cardinal had been caring for 21 children at the time of Hannah's death. After the hearing, Hannah's parents cautioned others about the need to do full background checks "I see people have daycare signs, you know, in their front yard, you know, somebody so and so's daycare, and I see those and I just want to kick the door in and warn people about knowing who's watching your kids" said Weiss. Cardinal testified that her husband and two children have lost their home and cars since her arrest. A medical examiner could not determine the cause of Hannah Weiss' death but says it was suspicious and not a case of SIDS. Social Services officials say all daycares caring for six or more children must be licensed. To check if your facility is, go to the Virginia Department of Social Services database.