Roberta Hobbs Gets 10-Year Sentence For Duct-Taping Grandson

[Whisper]

Grandmother accepts plea in abuse case

VANCEBURG -- A 54-year-old grandmother has pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree child abuse for restraining her 11-year-old special needs grandchild with duct tape for extended periods of time.

Lewis County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Tom Bertram said Roberta Hobbs accepted a plea deal that reduced the original charges of first-degree child abuse to second-degree child abuse. Recommended sentence for Hobbs is five years in prison for each count with sentences to run consecutively for a total of 10 years, Bertram said.
Hobbs was arrested Oct. 27, 2009, a day after police responded to a tip from social services. Lewis County Deputy Gary Sparks said he and a person from social services visited the home that Monday, Oct. 26, and Hobbs admitted to restraining the child with duct tape.
Sparks described the conditions of the house as "horrendous," "filthy" and "very unkempt." He said there was dog feces on the floor.
The 11-year-old child was in school at the time he and the social services representative visited the home. Two other children, both 9 years old, were also in school. All three children were removed from the home by social services that day. Though the two younger children appeared to be fine, they could not be left in the home due to pending charges, Sparks said.
A warrant for Hobbs was signed Oct. 27. She was arrested and lodged in the Lewis County Detention Center.
Hobbs is the grandparent of the three children and was primary caregiver. Bertram said the children are in the care of other family members.
[....]

http://www.maysville-online.com/news...cc4c002e0.html

Roberta Hobbs

Grandmother Gets 10-Year Sentence For Duct-Taping Grandson

A Lewis County grandmother who admitted to restraining her grandson with duct tape was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the case Friday.

Roberta Hobbs pleaded guilty in September to child abuse. Hobbs admitted that she taped her 11-year-old grandson, who suffers from ADHD, saying she had to restrain him because he was playing with knives and getting medicine out of the refrigerator.
[...]
She may be eligible for shock probation after 90 days.

http://www.lex18.com/news/grandmothe...ing-grandson/#

[TwiztidAngel]

She may be eligible for shock probation after 90 days.

what the hell is shock probation??

**runs off to google**

EDIT TO ADD:oh...it's this

Shock probation is a program that allows sentencing judges to reconsider the offender's original sentence to prison and then recall the inmate for a sentence to probation within the community. It is presumed that a short term or imprisonment would "shock" the offender into changing their criminal behavior. With shock probation, an offender is sent to prison, and then within a specified period of time (usually between 30 and 120 days), a judge can bring that offender back out for community supervision.

The overall effects of shock probation remain unknown. Until more research is conducted, perhaps the best tentative conclusions is that it can reduce the cost of incarceration, and may be just as effective in preventing recidivism as prison.


Read more: Probation and Parole: Supervision - Shock Probation - Offender, Prison, Sentence, and Community http://law.jrank.org/pages/1843/Prob...#ixzz14Xo2dS6o

learn something new everyday!

[Whisper]

I have heard of it but really dont understand how she can go from a 10 yr sentence to 90 days
Thats bullshit

[TheMeaningOfItAll]

I agree with Whisp. (I can't find the thanks button so maybe I'm out of them?) The bitch should spend the full 10 years in jail. I bet that would "shock" her. She was just a lazy twat who didn't want to help her grandson and would rather duct tape him and collect the checks.

[Nell]

Her face was shock therapy to me. Ugh.

[Pete Bondurant]

[Dakota Valkyrie]

A Lewis County grandmother who admitted restraining her grandson with duct tape has been granted shock probation.

Roberta Hobbs was originally sentenced to five years behind bars for each charge of child abuse, to be served consecutively.

http://www.lex18.com/news/grandmothe...ock-probation/

[badfish76]

We call it shock incarceration here. Or 120 (or whatever number of days) Shock.

[Kindly One]

Seriously, duct-taping an 11 year old with ADHD is easier than buying a padlock and hasp for the knife drawer and a lockbox for the fridge? I can't even get socks on my three-year old without her cooperation, and I'm quite spry. Admittedly, I draw the line at hurting her.