A Massachusetts Superior Court judge denied a motion Friday afternoon to reduce Michael McCarthy’s second-degree murder conviction to manslaughter in the case of 2-year-old Bella Bond’s death. The judge said there was “ample evidence” to support the jury’s initial conclusion.

The Massachusetts Office of the Child Advocate released its final report Wednesday on the Department of Children and Families’ handling of the case of 2-year-old Bella Bond, stating that the DCF failed...