ROMEOVILLE, Ill., July 19 (UPI) -- A Will County, Ill., judge rejected a plea agreement for a woman accused of failing to prevent her son from sexually assaulting a 10-year-old relative.
Donna Stepp was expected to face trial after Judge Richard Schoenstedt decided not to accept a plea agreement that would have given the mother probation, The Chicago Tribune reported Thursday.
"Although I did tell the attorney that I would consider (probation) this morning, I will not consider it," Schoenstedt said. "This court cannot in good conscience tell anybody that I would be inclined to give probation in this case."
Stepp and her husband, Steven Stepp, were charged with permitting the sexual abuse of a child, a felony that carries a punishment of probation or 4 to 15 years in prison, after their teenage son was arrested and charged with forcing a 10-year-old relative to have sex with him in December 2004, the Tribune said.
Assistant State's Attorney Steve Platek said the victim told the Stepps about the repeated abuse but they didn't report it to police and did nothing to stop future incidents, the Tribune said.
