Ohio parents get 8 years for neglecting child's lymphoma

Cleveland, OH Judge Michael Astrab threw the book at Monica Hussing, 37, and William T. Robinson, Sr., 40, for neglecting to get medical help for their 8 year old child, who died from untreated Hodgkin's lymphoma. The couple each received prison sentences of 8 years, which is the maximum sentence allowed under the law.

William Robinson Jr died in March of 2008 but it wasn't until his autopsy that the county coroner determined his cause of death: Hodgkin's lymphoma, one of the most treatable and curable cancers known to modern medicine. Pneumonia was also listed as a cause of death, and the coroner ruled the boy's death a homicide.

The couple had each pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in January.

The judge accused the couple of moving to Cuyahoga County from Trumbull County because they were under investigation by the Department of Family and Children Services in that County for having kept some of their six children from going to school, as well as failing to seek medical attention for young William.

Later this month Robinson, Sr. faces another 16 counts for the rape and kidnapping of a 14 year old girl back in 2009.

Sources: Several different media outlets, including the Chicago Tribune