Jodie Maree Powell, 46, was not only Curtis' aunt and foster carer, she was also a trained nurse. The little boy was found dead at her home in Mackenzie, near Brisbane, in July 2015.
The court heard that Jodie had also assaulted Curtis with a wooden spoon, a carving fork and power cords, reports the ABC, and before Curtis died his mouth was full of blood and he lost consciousness.
Justice Martin Burns said Jodie's actions were 'gross and irresponsible' and as a nurse, she should have known to seek medical treatment for her nephew.
'He would have been extremely unwell, accompanied by a high heart rate with obvious difficulty breathing,' said Justice Burns.
'Curtis relied on you to care for him as his parent and you failed him.'
Instead of calling for medical help, Jodie sent a message to somebody who came and checked on her and found Curtis lying dead on a mattress.
He died after collapsing in front of his siblings.
An autopsy revealed more than 200 injuries, including bruises and abrasions, many were caused by his aunt's excessive disciplining over a three-and-a-half-year period.
'It included things like banging Curtis’s head on wall, use of power cords, wooden spoons, belts and a metal fork,' said crown prosecutor David Nardone
The little boy had been in his aunt's care since he was three years old as his mum was a drug user.
On Friday (August 16 2019) Jodie Maree Powell pleaded guilty to manslaughter and two charges of assault occasioning bodily harm at The Supreme Court of Brisbane.
After yesterday's sentencing Curtis' dad said his son 'didn't even get an attempt to live life' and the sentence was 'not even close to being just for the little man.'
