The Associated Press

CORTLAND - A woman was sentenced to 15 years in state prison for starving her 5-year-old handicapped son, who was found sitting in a playpen infested with cockroaches and lice, wearing a diaper full of his own waste.

Judy Gratton had little to say in court Tuesday, except that she wanted to appeal her conviction and wanted a new attorney.

Gratton, 49, of Cortland, was convicted in January of first-degree assault, a felony, three misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.

Cortland County Judge William Ames said it was one of the saddest cases he had ever seen, but he didn't think Gratton intentionally hurt her youngest child, which is why he did not impose the maximum sentence of 25 years.

But she blamed others, didn't take responsibility for the boy's condition and hid her son during frequent visits by social workers, the judge said in refusing a defense request for a five-year sentence.

“All you needed to say was, ‘I need help,”' Ames said.

“Sadly, the animals in the house were treated better than the children,” the judge said.