Tina Marie Alberson (Jail photo)
DALLAS (January 22, 2013)--A Dallas woman convicted in the dehydration death of her 10-year-old stepson was sentenced Tuesday to 85 years in prison.
Tina Marie Alberson, 44, was convicted Friday of injury to a child, a second-degree felony, in the July 2011 death of Jonathan James who authorities said was denied water for days during a period of record-high temperatures.
Alberson faced a sentence of as much as life in prison because of a previous felony conviction.
Alberson, who testified in her own defense, told jurors that she limited the boy’s water intake a few times as punishment for misbehaving, but claimed she saw no sign that he was in medical distress.
The boy's twin brother testified that Jonathan repeatedly asked for water and pretended to use the bathroom so he could sneak a drink from the faucet.
