A North Carolina mother who forced her 9-year-old stepson to live outside in a dog cage in freezing temperatures has been jailed by a judge who said the case will “haunt” her.
Sarah Starr, 30, was sentenced Tuesday to nine to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to abusing the boy, who was rarely fed while locked outside in 28-degree temperatures, WFMY reported.
“I have never seen or experienced anything so horrible,” Superior Court Judge Richard Gottlieb told her, although he had “seen murder and rape” and “horrible abuse.”
“As a parent, I am horrified. I’m stuck,” Gottlieb told Starr, who also splashed water on the helpless boy’s face as punishment.
“This will haunt me for the rest of my judicial career.”
Starr was arrested in October 2022 along with his aunt and the boy’s father after Lexington police were alerted to the boy being locked in a cage.
Sarah Starr, 30, admitted the abuse which the sentencing judge said would “haunt me.” Davidson County Sheriff’s Office
The boy was left with some clothes, but “not enough to keep this child warm,” Sheriff Richie Simmons said at the time. He was also rarely fed – and then only spicy food to punish him, according to the outlet.
In one incident, Starr grabbed his stepson’s head, pulled him back and poured water on his face as punishment, WFMY reported, citing court documents.
Police acting on a tip found the boy locked in a cage when the temperature was 28 degrees. FOX8 WGHP
Starr pleaded guilty to three counts of felony child abuse causing serious mental and emotional injury, and two counts of felony child abuse causing serious physical injury, the report said.
Social services officers removed the child, along with an infant, a 4-year-old and two elementary-aged children who all lived in the hell home.
Starr’s aunt, Shelley Lucille Barnes, also admitted to the abuse. Davidson County Sheriff’s Office
Star’s aunt, Shelley Lucille Barnes, has pleaded guilty to two felony counts of negligent child abuse, Law and Crime reports. He was sentenced to a minimum of 7 1/2 years in prison.
The status of the charges against the boy’s father, Jonathan Starr — who is also charged with felony child abuse — is unclear.
The boy’s father, Jonathan Starr, was also arrested and charged. Davidson County Sheriff’s Office
Since being rescued from the home, the boy has been living in California with his grandparents and is “thriving,” WFMY reported. Other children also live elsewhere.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
