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Sunday's Child - Nikolas
Dallas Stepmom Gets 85 Years in Dehydration Death 1/23/13
Associated Press
January 23, 2013
DALLAS - A Dallas woman convicted in the dehydration death of her
10-year-old stepson has been sentenced to 85 years in prison.
Tina Marie Alberson was convicted Friday of injury to a child, a
second-degree felony, in the July 2011 death of Jonathan James. The boy was
denied water for days during record-high temperatures.
Alberson was sentenced Tuesday. The 44-year-old stepmother had faced up to
life in prison because of a previous felony conviction.
Alberson, who testified in her own defense, told jurors that she limited
Jonathan's water intake a few times as punishment for misbehaving, but saw no
sign that he was in medical distress.
The boy's twin brother testified that Jonathan repeatedly asked for water
and pretended to use the bathroom so he could sneak a drink from the faucet.