Wynema Worley was once charged with wanton murder. A grand jury returned that indictment against her after she faced lesser charges in district court.

Police say she drove into Lake Cumberland in northern Wayne County with her son and daughter in tow. Her daughter, Misty, escaped, but her son, Dylan Rambo, did not and drowned.

Today as Wynema Worley learned her fate she had nothing to say to the judge.

“She goes, ’I don't want to say anything. I'm just going to take my punishment and I'm going to go in and serve my time and hopefully everyone will forgive me,’” said Worley’s attorney, Teresa Whitaker, from a conversation the two had prior to Tuesday’s Sentencing in Wayne County Circuit Court.

Police had evidence of a combination of drugs and alcohol in Worley's system the night they say Worley’s car plunged into the lake off the Cumberland Pointe Boat Ramp and overturned in the water. But the prosecutor, who’s only had the 10-month-case since January, says he still doesn't know exactly why it happened.

“What would cause a woman, or a man, to do this to their own children?” questioned Commonwealths’ Attorney Matthew Leverage to reporters outside the Monticello courtroom.

Worley's attorney maintains Worley didn't know the roads and that there may have been a problem with the car's brakes the night of the accident. Worley’s husband at the time of the incident told 27 Newsfirst at the time that the two had just had a fight. Then Worley grabbed her children, jumped in the car, and left their Pulaski Count home for Worley’s mother’s home near Nancy.

“Down in district court there was never any evidence there was intent to harm her children,” said Public Defender Teresa Whitaker of the charges Kentucky State Police initially levied on Worley, before the indictment.

In what could be described as an oddity in high profile murder cases such as this one, there were no family members of either Worley or Dylan Rambo in the courtroom during the sentencing. In fact, the prosecutor even said he tried on a number of occasions to get a hold of someone that was related to Dylan Rambo and he said he had no luck.

Matthew Leverage says Dylan Rambo’s father never returned phone calls or letters. No one told him what kind of punishment Worley should receive for causing the eight-year-old’s death.

“Maybe they just didn't want to have to face that and relive this in court when they've already lived it in reality once,” said Leverage.

The defense attorney says Worley is just as much a victim herself.

“I've never met with her when she's not crying. And that it's painful for her. She's not only lost the one son, but she's lost her daughter. She's not to see Misty,” says Whitaker.

So instead of murder....she pleaded guilty to manslaughter and wanton endangerment and she'll serve 15 years for both charges.