Mother of 2-year-old victim outraged over early prison release of convicted murderer

ROCKVILLE, Md. - The mother of a child who was murdered 17 years ago is outraged after she received notice that her daughter's killer will be released from prison this week.

Timothy Phillips was sentenced to 25 years in jail for the 1999 murder of 2-year-old Amani Robinson. Phillips was babysitting the child for the victim's mother at a Rockville apartment on August 26, 1999.

In a plea deal, Phillips pleaded guilty to Robinson's murder and was sentenced to 25 years for killing the child and another 25 years for abusing her. At the same time, Phillips was also sentenced to ten years for the 1997 manslaughter of 2-year-old Andre Whitworth, another child he had also babysat.

Phillips faced 60 years in prison, which should have kept him behind bars until at least 2060. But under the terms of the plea bargain, the sentences were all served at the same time. Now in 2016, he has served nearly 66 percent his sentence, and with credits for good behavior, he is now scheduled to be released on Thursday.

Phillips was denied parole a year ago, but Robinson's mother, Amy Brammer, received an email alert that informed her about about his upcoming release.

The chairman of the Maryland Parole Commission personally denied Phillips' parole. He said that under Maryland law, Phillips has been able to earn these credits to shorten his sentence, so he has to be released on Feb. 11.

Brammer said she is upset, hurt and scared that her daughter's killer is about to be back on the street.

"There is no reason why this man should - personally I don't think he should ever get out of jail - let alone get out early," she said. "It is insane. How many other children now have the possibility of being hurt by this man?"

"If we could do anything to ease her pain, we would," said David Blumberg, chairman of the Maryland Parole Commission. "But we also obviously have to follow the law, and the law dictates that he will be released even though he was refused parole this Thursday."

Under the terms of his release, once he gets out, Phillips will be subject to probation until 2024. If he fails to report to his probation officer or commits another offense at any time, officials said he could wind up back behind bars.