The 43-year-old mother adopted 5 children and brought them into her home, court records say. Unfortunately, things were not as they seemed in her household. The mother, Stephanie, faced nearly 300 years in prison for the things she did to her five adopted children. “The children will never recover psychologically. There are times when an apology is trite, and this is one of those times. It takes a soc!opathic sad!st to torture children. It takes someone who has no regard for humanity to sit back and let it happen.” Judge Charles said during the sentencing.
Prosecutors said that the mother abused her children with such hatred, including strangulation, frequent beatings, and food deprivation. Her husband, Robert, already pleaded guilty to having failed to intervene in the child abuse. Although his crimes were not as severe, he was convicted and sentenced to between six and thirty years behind bars. The 43-year-old mom would lock the children into the frigid basement and force them to sleep down there without providing them beds or bedding. She also stands accused of beating and strangling them as well as depriving them of their most basic need – food and water. Both parents punched and strangled their four boys. They treated their girl differently.
She was their youngest at just six years old, so they would simply smack her in the mouth when they felt it necessary. The beatings were senseless and frequent. Both parents expected their children to follow very strict rules and would get beaten for failing to complete chores by the deadline or for stealing water from the sink when they were practically dying of thirst. Now, the eldest boy was perhaps mistreated the most. In addition to the beatings, he was forced to sleep in the cold basement with only a small space heater and an old mattress. Court documents indicate the boy’s blood pressure presented as abnormally low. Test results showed his blood had low potassium levels, an electrolyte disturbance, and an excessive amount of sodium. An examination of L.D.’s body revealed bruises on his neck, shoulders, back, abdomen, hip, and genitals. The medical staff determined the location of the child’s bruises were not consistent with accidental injury.”
County Judge Charles appeared via a video and heard as Stephanie entered her guilty plea. The 43-year-0ld mom faced up to 288 years in prison and $65,000 in fines at her sentencing hearing. She was sentenced to 17 to 47 years in prison for beating, tor-uring and neglecting her five adopted children. Judge Charles also barred Stephanie from having any contact with children. “The children will never recover psychologically,” Judge Charles said. “There are times when an apology is trite, and this is one of those times. It takes a sociopathic sadist to torture children. It takes someone who has no regard for humanity to sit back and let it happen.”
