Couple Convicted Of Criminal Mistreatment Of Children

(AP) - A superior court judge has convicted a Longview, Wash., couple of withholding food from two of their five adopted children.

Cowlitz County Judge Michael Evans ruled Tuesday that Jeffrey and Rebecca Trebilcock starved their then-13-year-old adopted son nearly to death and denied a significant amount of food to his biological sister. The girl was 12 when she and her adopted siblings were seized by the state last year.

The Daily News reports that the couple were convicted of first-degree criminal mistreatment of the boy and third-degree criminal mistreatment of his sister. Prosecutor James Smith says they face four to five years in prison at sentencing Aug. 23. The prosecution alleged the couple also denied food to three other adopted girls; however, the judge acquitted the Trebilcocks of those charges. All five of the children are now in foster homes.

Story from Associated Press