Mother sentenced for starving stepdaughter

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.

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