Mother Gets 70 Years For Starving Twin Sons

Gary Franklin

JONESBORO, Ga. (AP) -- A Lovejoy mother has received the maximum sentence of 70 years in prison for nearly starving her twin sons to death when they were 13 months old.

Clayton County Superior Court Judge Deborah Benefield issued the sentence for 25-year-old Tessa Zelek on Monday.

Clayton District Attorney Tracy Graham Lawson said Zelek must
serve at least 75 percent of sentence. The earliest she could get
parole is in 52 years.

Zelek was convicted on Oct. 1 of two counts of cruelty to
children, four counts of contributing to the deprivation of a minor
and two counts of forgery.

Zelek and the boys' father, James McCart, have been jailed since
their arrests in 2007.

McCart also faced up to 70 years but Lawson said he pted to take a plea, which would carry a 15-year sentence.

Associated Press

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