Pa. woman gets 10 to 20 years in death of disabled son

SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — A northeastern Pennsylvania woman has been sentenced to 10 to 20 years in state prison in the death of her 32-year-old son, who authorities said had Down syndrome and was severely neglected.

The Times-Tribune of Scranton reports that 60-year-old Susan Gensiak of Taylor was sentenced today in Lackawanna County Court.

She pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in the March 2013 death of 32-year-old Robert Gensiak, who authorities said weighed just 69 pounds and was covered in scabies, a skin infection caused by mites.

Thirty-six-year-old Joan Gensiak, the victim’s sister, was sentenced to five to 10 years on a neglect charge and a consecutive 1 to 5 years for endangering the welfare of a child.

A second daughter, 25-year-old Rebekah Gensiak, testified against both and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor negligence.