Teddy's mom appeals sentence

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Struthers woman who was sentenced to 15 years in prison earlier this month for allowing her ex-boyfriend to abuse her three sons, killing one of them, has appealed her sentence.

Shain Widdersheim, 33, filed her notice of appeal last week in the 7th District Court of Appeals of her sentence handed down Sept. 4 by Judge R. Scott Krichbaum in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Widdersheim was sentenced on four counts of child endangering and a count of obstruction of justice for allowing her ex-boyfriend, 43-year-old Zaryl Bush, to abuse her twin sons and 14-year-old Teddy Foltz in what police and prosecutors say was constant abuse.

Teddy died Jan. 26 this year, five days after a beating he received from Bush.

Bush pleaded guilty to murder and other charges earlier this summer and was sentenced to 33 years to life in prison in June.

Bush appealed his sentence in July, saying the plea “was not entered knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily” and that Judge Krichbaum abused his discretion by imposing consecutive multiple sentences and also by eschewing a recommended sentence of 22 years to life.

Judge Krichbaum also sentenced Widdersheim above the recommended 10-year sentence of prosecutors.

When accepting pleas from both defendants, Judge Krichbaum explained he is not bound by sentencing recommendations in plea bargains when sentencing someone.

He added he also asked both of them if they understood that and if that was explained to them by their attorneys, and both said they understood.