When he was just three months old, Jennifer Kennison shook her baby boy violently, so violently he died from head injuries.
Now the 31-year-old has been ordered to serve a home detention sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
But a judge says no punishment will ever match the burden she will carry for the rest of her life - knowing she was responsible for the death of her own child.
Kennison's son was born 10 weeks premature and was said to be "thriving" at the time of his death in 2016.
In the South Australian Supreme Court on Friday, Justice David Lovell said there was nothing to suggest the boy's mother was anything other than a loving parent.
However, faced with an unsettled and crying baby, for some reason she lost control with tragic consequences.
"You shook him violently, so violently that he died from the head injury that resulted," Justice Lovell said.
Kennison quickly called for an ambulance but failed to properly explain to medical staff and police exactly what happened.
What was consistently lacking from her explanations was the violent shaking of her son.
"It appears you have reacted to the incident by emotionally shutting down," Justice Lovell told her.
"You seem to be incapable of stating what actually occurred."
But the judge said he sentenced Kennison on the basis that she did not intend to kill the baby or cause him really serious harm.
"You suffered a momentary loss of self-control that had incredibly tragic consequences," he said.
"No punishment that this court imposes will be as great as the burden you will carry for the rest of your life.
"Namely that you are responsible for the death of your own child."
Justice Lovell imposed a home detention sentence of three years and three months with a non-parole period of two years and eight months.
He also ordered Kennison perform 150 hours of community service work.
Outside the court, defence counsel Justin Wickens said Kennison was extremely remorseful for her actions.
"She looks forward to making up, as best she can, for the circumstances of this offending to her family in the future," he said.
Australian Associated Press
