A Henrico County mom who left her three children behind during a September 2016 trip to Mexico was sentenced Wednesday to serve 1½ years in prison.
Stovall, 31, asked two neighbors to watch after the children — an 11-year-old girl and 8-year-old twin sisters — while she went to Cancun, Mexico, according to prosecutors. Stovall didn’t have the two neighbors’ phone numbers or their last names, prosecutors said. The neighbors told investigators that while they could check in on the children periodically, they were not able they were not able to stay with the children.
Stovall said during Wednesday’s sentencing that she regretted what she did and that she realizes her actions led to her family being separated. “I wish I never left,” Stovall said during the sentencing. “I wish I had made better decisions.”
Stovall’s Facebook page shows images posted during the trip depicting a seaside resort next to beautiful blue waters and palm trees. In a Sept. 15 comment on one of the Facebook posts, Stovall wrote: “truly having the time of my life!”
The oldest girl, who is now 12, told investigators her mom instructed her to cook for the sisters and make sure they took their medication, police said in court documents. She also said she was supposed to make sure the twins took baths and dressed appropriately for school, police said.
Stovall spoke in sometimes halting and tearful testimony when she talked about her three girls, adding that she wants to be with her children.
“I walk into the room, and they’re not there,” Stovall said.
The defendant said she enrolled herself in a parenting class. There have been seven sessions of that class, and she said she hasn’t missed any, Stovall said. The defendant repeatedly said she took responsibility for what happened. “I strongly believe that I am at fault for everything,” Stovall said.
But Stacey T. Davenport, an assistant commonwealth’s attorney for Henrico, said much of Stovall’s defense focused on her suffering in the case. “Ms. Stovall is thinking about Ms. Stovall,” Davenport said.
“Three young children were left while their mother went out of the country,” Davenport said.
Vincent Robertson, Stovall’s attorney, said his client acknowledged her shortcomings.“To say she is only thinking about herself and what has happened to her, I just don’t think that’s true,” Robertson said.
Robertson urged the judge to spare Stovall any active prison time, saying her children have already gone through a lot. “I don’t see what is accomplished by incarcerating their mother,” Robertson said.
http://www.richmond.com/news/local/...cle_d9429a98-0b4c-5513-acd8-37ecfea6d68d.html
Stovall, 31, asked two neighbors to watch after the children — an 11-year-old girl and 8-year-old twin sisters — while she went to Cancun, Mexico, according to prosecutors. Stovall didn’t have the two neighbors’ phone numbers or their last names, prosecutors said. The neighbors told investigators that while they could check in on the children periodically, they were not able they were not able to stay with the children.
Stovall said during Wednesday’s sentencing that she regretted what she did and that she realizes her actions led to her family being separated. “I wish I never left,” Stovall said during the sentencing. “I wish I had made better decisions.”
Stovall’s Facebook page shows images posted during the trip depicting a seaside resort next to beautiful blue waters and palm trees. In a Sept. 15 comment on one of the Facebook posts, Stovall wrote: “truly having the time of my life!”
The oldest girl, who is now 12, told investigators her mom instructed her to cook for the sisters and make sure they took their medication, police said in court documents. She also said she was supposed to make sure the twins took baths and dressed appropriately for school, police said.
Stovall spoke in sometimes halting and tearful testimony when she talked about her three girls, adding that she wants to be with her children.
“I walk into the room, and they’re not there,” Stovall said.
The defendant said she enrolled herself in a parenting class. There have been seven sessions of that class, and she said she hasn’t missed any, Stovall said. The defendant repeatedly said she took responsibility for what happened. “I strongly believe that I am at fault for everything,” Stovall said.
But Stacey T. Davenport, an assistant commonwealth’s attorney for Henrico, said much of Stovall’s defense focused on her suffering in the case. “Ms. Stovall is thinking about Ms. Stovall,” Davenport said.
“Three young children were left while their mother went out of the country,” Davenport said.
Vincent Robertson, Stovall’s attorney, said his client acknowledged her shortcomings.“To say she is only thinking about herself and what has happened to her, I just don’t think that’s true,” Robertson said.
Robertson urged the judge to spare Stovall any active prison time, saying her children have already gone through a lot. “I don’t see what is accomplished by incarcerating their mother,” Robertson said.
http://www.richmond.com/news/local/...cle_d9429a98-0b4c-5513-acd8-37ecfea6d68d.html
