A Westmoreland County jury on Thursday found a woman guilty in the death of her adopted son.Lauren Maloberti, of Delmont, was found guilty of third-degree murder, aggravated assault, child endangerment and conspiracy after a trial at the county courthouse.Maloberti was found not guilty of first-degree murder, which would have carried a mandatory life sentence.”We certainly were hoping for a little bit better. I think the way I argued it, and I think what was appropriate, we were probably hoping for an involuntary manslaughter,” defense attorney Adam Gorzelsky told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. “It’s a close line between involuntary and third (degree). I think they 100% got it right with the first degree. It never should have been charged that way because that wasn’t what this case was.”Maloberti will be sentenced at a later date.In a statement, District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said the investigation was “a sensitive and complex case to navigate.””Landon deserved justice and I believe we accomplished that today,” Ziccarelli said.Landon Maloberti died in January 2023. Prosecutors in the trial of Lauren Maloberti claimed that she and her husband, Jacob, emotionally and physically tortured the 5-year-old boy.Lauren Maloberti testified in her own defense, accusing her husband of being the controlling and abusive parent.Jacob Maloberti is set to stand trial separately.Below is a previous story by Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reporter Ed DiOrio, who covered the trial at the county courthouse this week. (Published on May 12.)Six days of testimony have gone by in the trial of Lauren Maloberti. The Delmont woman is one of two people accused of torturing and killing 5-year-old Landon Maloberti more than three years ago. The other person, her husband, Jacob, testified against his wife on Monday and Tuesday. “The person I thought I was married to, I lost complete trust in,” Jacob said during his testimony on Monday. “I can’t wrap my head around that for a year, what I was told happened to our son didn’t happen.”Prosecutors in the trial of Lauren Maloberti claim that she and her husband, Jacob, emotionally and physically tortured their 5-year-old adopted son, Landon. The child was unresponsive, hospitalized, and later died in late January of 2023. On Monday, Jacob testified that he didn’t harm Landon, and he thought the hospitalization was a medical incident. “I didn’t start wondering (what happened to Landon) until after we were arrested and I was told what I was told,” Jacob told jurors. Jacob told jurors that’s when he started suspecting his wife had something to do with what happened to Landon. “When we went to court one time, she said she had something to tell me, but she couldn’t say anything,” Jacob said. “I always thought it was medical.”Medical experts testified last week that Landon suffered over a hundred bruises and a severe brain injury. Text messages between Jacob and Lauren were read in court by detectives who worked the case. In July of 2022, Lauren sent Jacob this message. “I just got done beating your son’s . So, I’m wide awake.”In August of 2022, Lauren and Jacob had the following conversation.“Landon better behave.” – Lauren “Did he say anything to you?” – Jacob“He’s gonna get it.” – Lauren Jacob Maloberti is still in prison for criminal homicide and other charges in connection with Landon’s death. He will be tried later.Closing arguments could come as soon as Wednesday. It’s unknown if Lauren Maloberti will take the stand in self-defense.Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.

GREENSBURG, Pa. —

A Westmoreland County jury on Thursday found a woman guilty in the death of her adopted son.

Lauren Maloberti, of Delmont, was found guilty of third-degree murder, aggravated assault, child endangerment and conspiracy after a trial at the county courthouse.

Maloberti was found not guilty of first-degree murder, which would have carried a mandatory life sentence.

“We certainly were hoping for a little bit better. I think the way I argued it, and I think what was appropriate, we were probably hoping for an involuntary manslaughter,” defense attorney Adam Gorzelsky told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4. “It’s a close line between involuntary and third (degree). I think they 100% got it right with the first degree. It never should have been charged that way because that wasn’t what this case was.”

Maloberti will be sentenced at a later date.

In a statement, District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said the investigation was “a sensitive and complex case to navigate.”

“Landon deserved justice and I believe we accomplished that today,” Ziccarelli said.

Landon Maloberti died in January 2023. Prosecutors in the trial of Lauren Maloberti claimed that she and her husband, Jacob, emotionally and physically tortured the 5-year-old boy.

Lauren Maloberti testified in her own defense, accusing her husband of being the controlling and abusive parent.

Jacob Maloberti is set to stand trial separately.

Below is a previous story by Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reporter Ed DiOrio, who covered the trial at the county courthouse this week. (Published on May 12.)

Six days of testimony have gone by in the trial of Lauren Maloberti. The Delmont woman is one of two people accused of torturing and killing 5-year-old Landon Maloberti more than three years ago.

The other person, her husband, Jacob, testified against his wife on Monday and Tuesday.

“The person I thought I was married to, I lost complete trust in,” Jacob said during his testimony on Monday. “I can’t wrap my head around that for a year, what I was told happened to our son didn’t happen.”

Prosecutors in the trial of Lauren Maloberti claim that she and her husband, Jacob, emotionally and physically tortured their 5-year-old adopted son, Landon. The child was unresponsive, hospitalized, and later died in late January of 2023.

On Monday, Jacob testified that he didn’t harm Landon, and he thought the hospitalization was a medical incident.

“I didn’t start wondering (what happened to Landon) until after we were arrested and I was told what I was told,” Jacob told jurors.

Jacob told jurors that’s when he started suspecting his wife had something to do with what happened to Landon.

“When we went to court one time, she said she had something to tell me, but she couldn’t say anything,” Jacob said. “I always thought it was medical.”

Medical experts testified last week that Landon suffered over a hundred bruises and a severe brain injury. Text messages between Jacob and Lauren were read in court by detectives who worked the case.

In July of 2022, Lauren sent Jacob this message.

“I just got done beating your son’s [expletive]. So, I’m wide awake.”

In August of 2022, Lauren and Jacob had the following conversation.

“Landon better behave.” – Lauren

“Did he say anything to you?” – Jacob

“He’s gonna get it.” – Lauren

Jacob Maloberti is still in prison for criminal homicide and other charges in connection with Landon’s death. He will be tried later.

Closing arguments could come as soon as Wednesday. It’s unknown if Lauren Maloberti will take the stand in self-defense.

Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.