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Brother of starved Iowa girl gets prison for injuring her

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February 16th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

ADEL, Iowa (AP) — The adoptive brother of a 16-year-old girl who died of malnutrition in her family home has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to seriously injuring her before her death.

The Des Moines Register reports that 22-year-old Justin Ray pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of willful injury. In exchange, prosecutors dropped two counts of child endangerment against him.

Police have said Ray “drop-kicked” Sabrina Ray down basement stairs sometime between April 15 and May 1, leaving her unable to walk, talk, eat or drink normally.
The girl’s body was found May 12 in the Perry home she shared with her adoptive parents, who face first-degree murder and other charges. The girl weighed just 56 pounds at the time of her death.