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Christines plead guilty to starving two daughters

GRANTS PASS - Already imprisoned for seizing three of their daughters at gunpoint from state child welfare workers, Ruth and Brian Christine pleaded guilty today to charges that they starved two of the girls.

Josephine County Circuit Judge Gerald Neufeld sentenced them to 14 and 13 months but ordered them to serve the time concurrently with an earlier sentence.

Brian Christine pleaded guilty to criminal mistreatment for withholding food from his eldest daughter, Bethany, and refusing to stop for police. He was sentenced to 14 months.

Ruth Christine pleaded guilty to criminal mistreatment for withholding food from her daughter, Lydia, and got 13 months.

They were convicted May 10th of robbery, custodial interference and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle for taking their children at gunpoint from state child welfare workers.

They each were sentenced to seven and one half years in prison. Brian Christine got an extra five years for threatening social workers with the gun.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)