Ohio Woman Who Padlocked 7-Year-Old Girl In Dog Cage Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — A woman who padlocked a 7-year-old girl in a dog cage in the basement of an Ohio home has been sentenced to three years in prison.
A judge imposed the sentence Monday after Lillian Cottrell, 29, of Canton, pleaded guilty to child endangerment. Her boyfriend, Derek Mayle, 30, of Canton, faces the same charge and is scheduled to stand trial in March.
Stark County prosecutors have said the couple tortured the girl over the course of seven months last year and kept her padlocked in the cage at times as punishment. When she was removed from the home by child welfare officials, she weighed 28 pounds.
The child, who authorities say is related to Cottrell, is now in the custody of a family friend who plans to adopt her.
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