A Westminster woman received a 21-year prison sentence recently in a child abuse case so severe, the toddler suffered two broken collar bones and head injuries that caused brain swelling.

Brandi Alexandria Leclaire, 27, is serving her sentence in the Denver Women’s Correctional Facility and won’t receive her first parole hearing until September 2031, according to Colorado Department of Correction records.

First Judicial District Judge Lily Wallman Oeffler sentenced Leclaire to 21 years in prison Sept. 15, after a jury convicted her of a Class 3 felony, knowing or recklessly abusing a child resulting in serious bodily injury.

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“There was overwhelming evidence of repeated traumatic injuries to the child while in the care of Ms. LeClaire,” Senior Deputy District Attorney John VanLandschoot said in an email statement. “The most important evidence, however, came from the defendant herself as she tried to manipulate and deceive others while she was harming the victim.”

A juror in the case, who asked not to be identified, said jurors deliberated close to five hours after the nine-day trial at the end of July.

“When she got on stand and started pointing fingers, she just made herself look guilty,” the juror said.

District Attorney spokesman Michael Teague said the boy, who is now 4-years-old, is doing well “but has ongoing therapy and there are long-lasting effects that are physical and emotional. In general, he is alive, prospering and very loved and cared for.”

The 2019 case came to light after Leclaire dropped the boy, whom she had been watching, off Sept. 17, 2019, at an urgent care facility. He was unresponsive, breathing shallowly and had to be intubated, according to an arrest affidavit filed by Arvada Police.

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The boy had “numerous facial injuries,” bruises on his left thigh and buttock in the shape of a hand print, brain swelling and bleeding, and two broken clavicles, according to police.

Medical workers noticed Leclaire was on the phone constantly, even as the doctors tried to get information from her and report to her the boy’s status, and showed little regard for how the boy was doing, the report states.

“Brandi seemed to be more worried about getting a hold of his father than actually what was happening with (the boy),” a security guard told police. “It seemed like she was very worried about getting in trouble.”

Leclaire had been dating the boy’s father and had been helping babysit him. The boy’s aunt told investigators “Brandi wasn’t very nice” to the boy, according to the affidavit.

The father told police his boy has suffered facial bruising Sept. 9, 2019, while in Leclaire’s care. She told him the boy rolled off a bed and his face hit a metal box, the police report shows.

When interviewed by police, including a polygraph examination, Leclaire’s answers were inconclusive, the report states. She blamed the boy’s father, and accused him of yanking the boy up by the arm when he was taking him to the car from her house Sept. 16, then slapping or hitting him in the face when the boy was in the car, according to police. The dad denied that.

“Brandi stated the broken collarbones could have been when (the dad) grabbed (the boy) and pulled him, but she had no idea how the brain bleed happened,” according to the affidavit.

She also blamed the boy’s biological mother for the abuse.

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Police searched Leclaire’s phone and found Google searches for “get rid of bruises in a day” on Sept. 9.

In text messages to friends after the boy was at Children’s Hospital, Leclaire texted: “LOL I didn’t do anything wrong or bad.”

“We strongly encourage anyone who suspects that a child is being abused or neglected to call 844-CO-4-Kids and report their suspicions,” Teague said. “If you have reason to believe a child is in immediate danger, please contact your local law enforcement agency.”