A judge sentenced a Delaware woman to 106 years in prison for torturing her two stepsons with the help of their father. The judge described the abuse as the most extensive and persistent evil he had ever seen.
Mary Vinson, 46, was sentenced after pleading guilty to 30 felony counts including kidnapping, child abuse, strangulation, and reckless endangering. She faced a minimum of 30 years and a maximum of 444 years in prison.
Vinson stated before sentencing that she didn’t intend to harm the boys and claimed she loved them like her own. The boys’ father, Charles Vinson, 37, was also sentenced to 49 years after pleading guilty to 12 felony counts.
Attorney General Kathy Jennings commented on the case, stating that the children no longer have to worry about their abusers. The judge rejected defense requests for minimum sentences, citing the extreme cruelty of the crimes.
Video evidence showed the boys being kept in horrific conditions, and the judge emphasized that the boys would carry the trauma with them for life. Charles Vinson took responsibility for his actions and acknowledged his failure as a father.
Prosecutors revealed that the boys were abused over a 20-month period, resulting in severe malnutrition and hospitalizations. The abuse included withholding food and water, beatings, and forcing the boys to wash with dirty water.
Officials described the torture inflicted on the children as unimaginable, and efforts to find them permanent families have been unsuccessful. The case has left a lasting impact on all involved.
