Crime & Safety
Sharon Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Killing Pregnant Stoughton Woman
Karen Blau will serve five years in a state prison and eight years probation upon completion of her sentence.
A Sharon woman will serve time in prison after being convicted of killing a pregnant woman in Stoughton.
Karen Blau was sentenced Friday morning to a term of five years to five years and one day in a state prison for motor vehicle manslaughter followed by eight years of probation from and after the completion of her committed sentence on the reckless endangerment of a child conviction.
The state requested 10 to 12 years of prison time and 15 years probation.
Find out what's happening in Sharonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
On Wednesday, Blau was found guilty of striking a pregnant women in Stoughton while intoxicated. On July 23, 2013, Joanne White, the pregnant woman killed in the incident, was walking down Lincoln Street in Stoughton at around 8:45 p.m. when Blau’s car came barreling up on the sidewalk, hitting White before coming to a rest against a tree.
White’s 11-year-old son, who was with her at the time, was not injured.
Find out what's happening in Sharonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In their impact statement, Joe and Joan White, the parents of the victim, asked the judge to give the maximum sentence allowed by the state.
“We lost a beautiful vibrant loving mother daughter sister and friend. We ask how are you doing. I miss her the most. I miss the trips I took with her. Mere feet from where we live. We drive by every day,” they wrote according to the Herald. “We won’t be seeing this beautiful smile anymore and to us that’s the hardest part of it.”
Blau’s lawyer asked for the minimum of five years. He said Blau was emotional when she left the house that day because she was searching for her adult daughter who had drug addiction issues.
“I would like to apologize it was an accident. I lost my mother at 12 years old and you never forget. I tried to help her. I have no explanation as to why I couldn’t stop. My leg cramped up,” she said.
Blau said her daughter attempted to kill herself days earlier and was threatening to try again. In addition Blau said her daughter was in an eight-day heroin binge.
After the sentencing, Blau returned to MCI-Framingham.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.