A Seattle couple who neglected a blind teen suffering from cerebal palsy, almost to death, are most likely not going to serve any jail time.
Seattle PI reports:
The girl was found naked (except for a diaper), caked in her own filth, teeth rotting out, and weighing only 67-pounds.
April and Jefferey Henderson, who pleaded guilty to the second-degree criminal mistreatment charges are likely to be facing only a probation sentence after a negotiation with their defence lawyer. A second-degree criminal mistreatment charge usually mandates a nine-month jail sentence for first-timers.
"The conditions in which (she) was found are not conditions which could occur overnight, or even within a week or two," Senior Deputy Prosecutor Amanda Froh told the court. "It was a state that was the result of weeks and months ... of extreme long-term neglect - of the Hendersons treating (her) like she was less than a human being who deserved to be cared for in a humane way."
The Henderson's were using the $4,100 a month they received in government benifits to take care of the teen for household expenses.
In the couple's defense, they were reportedly suffering a family crisis, as Jefferey's brother was shot dead in May 2012.
In court the Henderson's said they consider the teen family, despite the neglect. Their lawyer said the allegations that the couple was taking care of the teen for the "easy money" were false.
When the teen was discovered in the home she was removed from the premises immediately and the Henderson's reportedly agreed to place her in a care facility with her government money that was supporting them.
The teen was later put in the hands of a court-appointed guardian who helped her enroll in school. Since her rescue, the teen gained 30-pounds.
