An 18-year-old from Alton received a six-year prison sentence Wednesday for her part in the torture and death of a pregnant, developmentally disabled woman.
LeShelle McBride received the sentence after a prosecutor said she was the "least culpable party" in the torture and death of Dorothy Dixon, 29. Investigators say Dixon was a mother with a childlike mind and another baby on the way when she was found dead in January 2008 at a house in Alton.
Authorities say a group of people residing in the home treated Dixon like a slave and took her monthly Social Security checks.
Madison County Assistant State's Attorney Michael Stewart said he believed McBride's involvement was limited, and her sentence is reflective of that. McBride had no prior criminal record, had a good school record and cared for her younger brother. Anthony Dos Santos, McBride's lawyer, said the teen is tutoring and mentoring other inmates at the county jail.
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