Watertown daycare provider sentenced to 20 years in prison

A former Watertown daycare provider has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in the death of a 17-month-old child in her care. 30-year-old Amanda Walder pleaded guilty to first degree manslaughter in March regarding a case dating back to 2021. She was also ordered to pay restitution to the family and county as part of her sentence. Walder was watching the victim at her in-home daycare in July of 2021 when officers were called to the location regarding an unconscious child. The victim was later identified as Liam Koistinen. In a release from police Koistinen’s injuries were consistent with abuse. She was originally charged with cruelty to a minor charges, but the charges were increased following an investigation by the Division of Criminal Investigation and Watertown police.