Ex-NFL running back Cierre Wood has been sentenced to life in prison. The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to the murder of a five-year-old girl

Cierre Wood will spend a long time behind bars. The former NFL (Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills, among others) and CFL player was sentenced to life in prison by the Clark County District Court, with the possibility of parole after ten years at the earliest.

Wood pleaded guilty to the murder of a five-year-old girl in 2019. In addition, he must serve between 28 months and six years for the charge of child abuse. Wood entered what is known as an “Alford” plea, which is considered an admission of guilt but allows him to maintain his innocence.

The child’s mother, Amy Taylor, also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.

In April 2019, five-year-old La’Rayah Davis was found dead in an apartment in Las Vegas. According to the autopsy report, she had 20 broken ribs and numerous internal injuries.

Ex-NFL pro Wood spoke of sports as a form of discipline and claimed the five-year-old fell backwards while doing sit-ups and hit her head on the carpet.

Taylor told police at the time that she sat on the girl to discipline her.