Spring Hill woman sentenced for child abuse

FRANKLIN (AP) — A woman has been sentenced in Franklin, Tenn., to 16 years in prison for abusing her two adopted children.

Shelley Blair of Spring Hill had pleaded guilty in October to four charges including especially aggravated kidnapping, kidnapping and aggravated assault.

Testifying Thursday, Blair admitted to beating her 13-year-old adopted daughter repeatedly, causing massive bruising, Her children were abused more and more as time went on including starving, beating and restraining, according to WTVF-TV.

She said she locked them in rooms where they had to relieve themselves in buckets.

Blair also told the courtroom that she had fostered more than 40 children over the years. The defense called character witnesses including friends, a pastor and a doctor. One of her friends said Blair was a caregiver who took on too much.