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#Post#: 45--------------------------------------------------
Mom sentenced to 20 years for keeping son in cage
By: Montraviatommygun Date: March 12, 2011, 7:45 am
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Mom sentenced to 20 years for keeping son in cage
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —
A mother was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday for
keeping her 17-year-old adopted son caged in her home.
Brenda Sullivan pleaded guilty in January to three counts of
aggravated child abuse. Prosecutors agreed to drop lesser child
neglect charges.
The teen weighed 49 pounds when child welfare workers found him
in 2005 in what appeared to be a cage. Sullivan told a judge at
the time that Ohio authorities told her to keep the boy, who had
severe medical and emotional problems, in a crib.
"There's only one conclusion when you look at the medical
evidence in this case, and that is that she literally starved
him," prosecutor Julie Schlax said.
Two other children, 13-year-old twins the Sullivans adopted as
infants, both testified they were kept in similar cages.
Sullivan's husband was also arrested, but died in January 2007
while awaiting trial.
Sullivan's lawyer, Charles Fletcher, said he didn't think prison
was the right option because she does not pose a threat to
society. He said they would appeal the sentence.
(HTM) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004433380_apcagedteen.html?syndication=rss
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