A Paragould woman has been sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from the severe malnutrition of several of her children.
According to court records, Second Judicial Circuit Judge Pam Honeycutt sentenced 30-year-old Beatrice D. Russ to 288 months in the Arkansas Department of Corrections on Monday after she pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree child endangerment.
Russ also received 120 months suspended imposition of sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree battery.
Following her release from prison, Russ will be required to pay court costs and fines in monthly installments.
Authorities arrested Russ and Michael A. Harris in January 2025 after three of their nine children were hospitalized with severe malnutrition.
According to an affidavit filed in the case, the children told investigators they were often fed only white rice. Investigators also reported the children had not attended school and had not seen a doctor or dentist since March 2024.
Harris was sentenced in September after pleading guilty to four counts of first-degree child endangerment. He is currently serving a 288-month prison sentence and also received 120 months suspended imposition of sentence on a second-degree domestic battery conviction.
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