May 22, 2008 4:23 pm US/Eastern
Family: Larimer Fire Mothers Made 'Tragic Mistake'
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
The two local mothers charged in connection with the deaths of five of their children during a house fire last year have been sentenced to jail time.
In February, both Furaha Love and Shakita Mangham pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter charges.
A judge sentenced both today to serve one to two years in prison and five years probation.
KDKA's Bob Allen reports that both Mangham and Love made tearful pleas asking the judge for mercy and no jail time.
The women's fathers along with other friends and family spoke on their behalf.
In the end, the judge told them that they traded five children's lives for beer and cigarettes. He said he put their children in harms way and deserved to be punished.
"There is no question that the two ladies are responsible for it. There's no question that the two ladies accepted their responsibility and there is also no question somehow the judge felt that they should be punished. I can't argue with that," said defense attorney, Jim Ecker. "If I put myself in the position of the judge, I probably would have come up with the same thing. He could have given them many, many years in prison; instead he gave them one to two years."
Mangham and Love are accused of leaving their children at home alone in Larimer back in June of 2007, while they went to a bar, officials report.
Fire broke out and destroyed the Winslow Street home after they left.
Prosecutors say Mangham initially told police that she had a babysitter the night of the fire.
But police say they later learned two 8-year-olds were left to care for the five children who died.
Stay with KDKA for the latest details.
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