UPDATE: CHILDREN LOCKED IN THE BASEMENT

UPDATE: CHILDREN LOCKED IN THE BASEMENT

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs),  Apr 23, 2008  by DENNIS HUSPENI,

THE CASE: A Colorado Springs couple were arrested in late 2006 on suspicion of child abuse and false imprisonment, all misdemeanors, for allegedly locking their six adopted children in the basement. The four boys and two girls, then ages 7 to 16, were taken into custody by the El Paso County Department of Human Services at the time. Colorado Springs police alleged the children were mainly locked up overnight in the basement of a house in the 5400 block of War Paint Place to prevent them from taking food from the pantry or running away.

THE SUSPECTS: William

Fam, 60, and his wife, Samia Fam, 49, were each charged with 12 misdemeanors.

WHAT'S NEW: Samia Fam pleaded guilty to a single count of child abuse, negligence with no injury, on Friday, court records show. Her trial was scheduled to start Tuesday. El Paso County Court Judge Karla Hansen accepted the plea agreement, in which 11 counts were dropped, and sentenced Fam to six months of unsupervised probation. The conviction is deferred, which means if Fam successfully completes probation her record will be wiped clean. Hansen also ordered Fam to undergo a child abuse evaluation and follow any recommendations given.

WHAT'S NEXT: William Fam is scheduled to go to trial in May.