Chapter 20 - Clara’s sentence
Clara’s cooperation reduced sentence.
But five years was enormous.
Judge considered:
She physically abducted Leo.
Maintained confinement.
Moved him.
Concealed from father and police.
Accepted money.
Also:
She provided food.
Did not physically torture him based on available evidence.
Eventually cooperated.
Helped authenticate routes and financial records.
Expressed remorse.
Sentence:
Ten years imprisonment, with two years suspended? Need careful. Kidnapping of child for five years is severe. Could warrant double digits actual. Let's set 12 years, 3 suspended, 9 to serve, plus supervised release/probation. Is that plausible. Yes.
Nine years actual custodial term subject ordinary rules.
Restitution:
Specific treatment and investigative costs where authorized.
Civil damages separate.
She forfeited Blue Ash cottage? If property used in crime, could be subject forfeiture, but not automatic. Better prosecutors sought and court approved forfeiture of cottage after plea because it was used to confine Leo and bought partly with crime proceeds. Might be plausible but adds. Could avoid.
Blue Ash cottage sold under civil settlement later.
At sentencing Clara looked at me.
“I am sorry.”
I said nothing.
She had a right to speak.
I had no obligation to answer.
Leo did not attend.
He wrote no victim statement at that stage.
His therapist advised against making him responsible for punishment.
I submitted my own statement.
Not about revenge.
About five birthdays.
Five Christmas mornings.
Five years of wondering whether my son had been cold when he died.
May you like
He had been cold.
Just not dead.
