CARNATION, Wash. - A Carnation woman is headed to prison after being sentenced today for a heartless crime.
She starved her now 15-year old stepdaughter in what authorities call one of the worst abuse cases they've ever seen.
Rebecca Long's crimes seem like those of a madwoman, and that's exactly what her defense attorney claimed during her sentencing today. But the most persuasive counter-argument came from Long's victim, her now 15-year-old stepdaughter who watched Long during previous court appearances.
"Rebecca was pretending to be dimwitted and stupid," the young girl told the court.
For several years in their Carnation home, Rebecca Long systemically starved her home-schooled stepdaughter on a diet of a Dixie cup of water and piece of toast a day.
"Rebecca came to locking me in my room and rationing my food and water. She ruined my life and my childhood," said the young victim.
The young girl was emaciated when King County Sheriff's deputies were called to the house last year by a neighbor who heard screaming.
Her younger brother was in better shape, but told the court he too was victimized.
In September, the children's father was sentenced to prison. He admitted he stood by while his wife starved his daughter
Long supposedly did it to punish her stepdaughter, but she declined to explain herself to the court his afternoon as the judge handed down a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence.
The children are now with a foster family and looking much healthier. But in their own words each child told the court they still have a lot of healing to do.
king5viewer said on November 6, 2009 at 6:43 PM
3.5 years is ridiculously short for a crime of such magnitude. The woman starved the girl for probably more years than that and will get better treatment in prison (not to mention an opportunity for parole) than the girl did in her own home. Personally, I think the woman should spend at least 25 years in prison for intentionally endangering the girl's life.
eddie94 said on November 6, 2009 at 6:59 PM
This is unbelievable
92cg6 said on November 6, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Thats it.. 3.5 years? Criminals are getting off way too easy these days..
lmariec said on November 6, 2009 at 10:40 PM
This seems like an awfully light sentence. The victim will be traumatized for life and no doubt suffer from poor health and organ damage. Maybe there are limitations binding the sentence, because I don't understand why the sentence would be so light.
jatok said on November 7, 2009 at 6:39 AM
It's bad enough that this woman did this, but it just blows me away that her real parent could stand by and let this happen. I really hope that from this point on the girl gets a far better life and that somehow she will eventually be able to come to terms with her past.
libbygu said on November 7, 2009 at 7:22 AM
How long was the dad's sentence? Could that not have been put in the article? This is a ridiculously light sentence. I hope the Dad and stepmom are forced to pay back the state its costs for the foster care. I hope the kids are in a GOOD foster home. And finally , I look forward to the story on the amount awarded to the girl because DSHS missed he opportunity to save her two years earlier. BTW KING5 The new homepage is like a media tolerance test GIVE ME SOME NEGATIVE SPACE to rest my eyes.
ruba61 said on November 7, 2009 at 7:55 AM
20 to 30 years sounds much better than 3.5 years. Sentence the judge to 3.5 years for failing to do his job and being a weak judge in sentencing. Feed them mac and cheese and water to save taxpayer dollars!!!!
crimmer01 said on November 7, 2009 at 9:58 AM
I think a fit punishment would be to starve the mother for 3.5 years on a Dixie cup of water and a burnt piece of toast a day!
lin1945 said on November 7, 2009 at 10:23 AM
The sentence is too short. The dad's was also short but supposedly as high as they could be given within a range of time. This child deserved better. What also makes me wonder about the stepmother and her birth son . . . how could he, a young man attending college, visit, see the situation and allow it to continue? I am guessing his stepfather was footing his college expenses so he didn't want the golden goose to end. This case is almost unbelievable and is unbelievably sad. I know the two children in foster care have grandparents alive. Could not one of them take custody and keep them with family? I hope that the stepmother gets a good dose of prison brutality as a reminder what she did to this child. The father deserves even worse that he let his wife manipulate him until he couldn't stand up for what is right. There is a hell for people like Rebecca Long and her former husband.
plant_a_tree said on November 7, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Our community (the people voting in the State of Washington) prefer to treat child abuse as a social problem rather than as a criminal problem. So abuse is rampant in our state and our children are extremely vulnerable. We need a new model of addressing child abuse. I believe foster children should live in communities where the adults are hired caretakers who work shifts. They can be fired easily and prosecuted as criminals for abuse. The foster parents are changed rather than the horrible displacement the foster children undergo as they are shuffled from one foster family to another. As these home clusters would exist closely together in the community the children have the chance to bond with other foster children, their teachers, and other families in the community. We as neighbors could also volunteer with these children if we knew how to sign up at these homes. Safety and stability of place are both important. Please write to your State representatives on this subject!
intrestgal said on November 7, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Enough is enough. What has the world come to when a woman can STARVE her step children and ruin their childhoods and only get 3.5 years? This crazed woman will get 1/3 off with good behavior and be out in 28 months. I am glad the children are safe now, it too sad that their own flesh and blood would allow this crazed nut job to do this - apparently he BELONGS behind bars like an animal too. Stop the insanity - please.
tony1120 said on November 7, 2009 at 12:59 PM
It amazes me that sentencing for crimes against children are so short. Well, both the father and stepm-mother will get what's coming to them behind bars. The only good thing about prison, is that the inmates have their own justice system, especially when it comes to children.
dogshowfanatic said on November 8, 2009 at 11:04 PM
I really hope that people recognize her and remember what she did when she is released, since the law wont take care of this women the public needs to, 3.5 years is nothing.. What was she even charged with? How about attempted murder, since that girl would have died if it weren't for the neighbors. This really angers me! Laws for all abuse need to be increased, I thought they were just light for animal abusers but apparently it is all the way around. Complete BS.
ryzeguy said on November 9, 2009 at 10:36 AM
I hate to say it, but if the prosecuter had charged the women with cruelty to an ANIIMAL, they could have given the mother a harsher sentence. What a screwed up world we live in...