Child Dies at 14 months, Weighs 13 lbs.
In Valley City, North Dakota, James Thompson was sentenced to 8 years in prison and Cassandra Riediger to 3 years in the starvation death of a 14 month old boy that was living with the couple.  Authorities say the boy, Marcus Thompson, was both starved and dehydrated and weighed just 13.5 pounds at the time of his death. (USA Today, 5-28-2008, p 9A)

Starving the Children
In New Haven, Connecticut, a woman who was babysitting a boy apparently starved him to death by depriving him of food and drink as punishment for wetting the bed. The babysitter, Sharon Patterson, was ruled incompetent to stand trial; Her brother, Robert Patterson, 31, accepted a plea agreement that will likely mean probation for failing to intervene. (USA Today, 9-18-2008, p. 6A) After later being ruled competent, Jackson was later charged with manslaughter in the death of 23-month-old Amari Jackson. (USA Today, 2-20-2009, p. 8A)

Starving Children for Insurance Money
In Forest, Mississippi, authorities say money may have been the key motive in the starvation death of a 4-year-old-boy.  Police say Austin Watkins weighed a mere 19 pounds when he died on November 9th, 2008.  Scott County Sheriff Mike Lee said the family had taken out an insurance policy on the boy.  His grandmother and aunt were arrested and charged with murder.  (USA Today, 11-17-2008, p. 12A)