The horrific accounts of a 22-year-old autistic girl held in a cage by her relatives and subjected to brutal physical, mental, and psychological abuse will be center stage in New Orleans Federal Court today to face sentencing.
Jody Lambert plead guilty to federal civil rights charges in October. According to the Advocate the victim lived in a cage, was forced to eat dog feces and her mother's ashes, endured numerous beatings, and was forced to do chores in exchange for food and water.
Prosecutors say in court documents Lambert has cooperated and that they have agreed to seek less than the maximum 10-year prison sentence. Terry and Raylaine Knope, who were supposed to care for their disabled relative, face about three decades in prison after pleading guilty or no contest in state and federal courts. Along with the abuse charges, they are also suspected of pocketing the federal disability payments to the victim which were to be used for her care.