Adopted Mother Treats Children Like Prisoners

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) - Authorities say a woman who lied to
adopt 11 disabled children from New York to get more than $1
million in subsidies has been returned to a Florida jail.
Judith Leekin is in the St. Lucie County jail on charges of
aggravated child abuse and aggravated abuse of disabled adults.
She was sentenced in July in New York federal court to nearly 11
years in prison for fraud.
The 63-year-old woman is accused of treating the children like
prisoners, beating and handcuffing them while they were in a locked
room without food in her Florida home. Authorities say she also
deprived them of medical care and school. She has pleaded not
guilty to the Florida charges. Her attorney is in plea discussions
with prosecutors.
She was returned to Florida on Aug. 8.