4 months ago
JONESBORO, Ga. (AP) -- A Lovejoy mother has received the maximum sentence of 70 years in prison for nearly starving her twin sons to death when they were 13 months old.
Clayton County Superior Court Judge Deborah Benefield issued the sentence for 25-year-old Tessa Zelek on Monday.
Clayton District Attorney Tracy Graham Lawson said Zelek must serve at least 75 percent of sentence. The earliest she could get parole is in 52 years.
Zelek was convicted on Oct. 1 of two counts of cruelty to children, four counts of contributing to the deprivation of a minor and two counts of forgery.
Zelek and the boys' father, James McCart, have been jailed since their arrests in 2007.
McCart also faced up to 70 years but Lawson said he opted to take a plea, which would carry a 15-year sentence.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
