HARRISON, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas woman has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after she was convicted of chaining her stepchildren to a tire in their bedroom and a dog cage and tree in the front yard.
A judge handed down the maximum sentence Friday to 57-year-old Anna Barber, who was convicted last month of two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor.
The Harrison Daily Times reports that Barber was arrested after police received a report that the children — then 8 and 10 years old — were living in unsanitary conditions. An affidavit says the children told police they were chained to the tire "to keep them safe."
Barber's public defender, Tim Bunch, says his client had no previous convictions and he'd hoped for a lesser sentence.
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