News From Terre Haute, Indiana

Local & Bistate

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable as well as posts that are attacking other users. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
July 14, 2012

30 years for attempted baby snatcher

Stephanie Foster accepts fault for 2010 attack

Brian Boyce The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Describing the crime as “appalling” in nature, a Vigo County judge gave Stephanie Foster a 30-year sentence for stabbing a couple while trying to steal their baby.

Foster, 36, will serve 28 years of that sentence in the Indiana Department of Corrections, with two years suspended, but to be served on probation. She will receive credit for the nearly two years spent in the Vigo County Jail since the incident occurred June 23, 2010.

Vigo County Superior Court Judge Michael Lewis said the damage done to the victims, and the amount of premeditated planning which went into the attempted abduction, negated mitigating factors such as mental illness and relatively minor criminal history.

“Ms. Foster, I know what I felt like when I had my first child, and you took that away from these people,” he said. “If it wasn’t for the husband waking up and grabbing you, we’d be looking at a double-murder here.”

Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt read two victim impact statements, one from each parent whose then-month-old baby was the kidnap target.

According to the statement issued by the father, the family has been under a barrage of requests from invasive media outlets, and harassed by hospitals and collection agencies regarding the medical bills sustained as a result of the attack.

After paying their deductibles, the couple was left with thousands of dollars owed Wishard Hospital, he stated, and they’ve been embarrassed and shamed into collections as a result, thus potentially damaging their credit.

“We are not responsible for these damages, but try telling that to bill collectors. They don’t care, just send them money,” the statement read.

Later in the court proceeding, it was acknowledged that Foster’s family has recently made financial restitution, but Modesitt pointed out throughout the hearing that it’s been more than two years since the attack. According to the father’s statement, the family has had to sell its horses as they cannot bring themselves to leave their home and money is tight. Telephone calls make them sick with fear, as does the thought of leaving their toddler unattended.

The mother likewise noted the practices of medical debt collectors and added that the stabbing resulted in chipped vertebrae and nerve damage. But fear for their child is the wound that won’t heal, she wrote.

“I am very concerned she will hold a grudge against us for having to go to prison,” she said of the defendant, adding her request that the sentence be sufficient to keep Foster in prison until their child is at least 18 and capable of self-defense.

Defense attorney Michael Wright called a clinical social worker as well as Foster’s father, Steve Silvers, to the stand to testify on her behalf. Silvers apologized to the victims and Vigo County community on behalf of his family and pledged to take Foster back to his own property in Texas after her release.

Foster broke into tears while reading from a prepared statement.

“I’m not going to try to make any kind of excuses for what I did. I kind of created a fantasy world that I lived in to deal with how I felt about me, which is nobody’s fault [but] mine,” she read. “[The victims] didn’t deserve what happened to them.”

In issuing the sentence, Lewis said Foster will be able to have her probation transferred to Texas upon her release, but required that she agree to never contact the victims or their family.

“You’re right. You said the victims didn’t deserve this and you’re right. You brought this on yourself,” he said to Foster while handing down the sentence.

Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.

 

 

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Local & Bistate
Latest News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
TribStar.com Poll
AP Video
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor Raw: Germany Protestors Picket Barbie House China, Others Want What's Under the Arctic Ice Raw: Suicide Bomber Kills 2 Americans, 13 Others Raw: 6 Die in Russian Ship Fire Raw: Gun Scare Mars Cannes Film Festival One Million Evacuated As Cyclone Hits Bangladesh Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Raw: Texas Gov. Flies Over Tornado Damage Raw: Pope Frees Doves From Cage Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
NDN Video
Twiggy, the Water Skiing Squirrel Sailor Surprises His Mom At Her CU Denver Graduation Ceremony Official: ‘Amazing’ No One Was Killed In CT Train Crash Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country Coffee Stop Leads To Arrest Of YouTube Sensation Wanted For Murder Bearded Dragon Reunited With Owner Marine Reunited with Warzone Companion Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Beyonce Is Pregnant! SF baseball player overpaid $500,000 RETURNS money -- and team says KEEP IT $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest Dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises family during Rays' first pitch See Jennifer Lopez's New $10m Hamptons Mansion Woman tricked into taking abortion pill Emma Watson Goes Pantless IRS scandal: Republicans seek to tie Obama to agency's woes Play of the Day: Flipping to Safety Pregnant Kim Kardashian Squeezes Her Swollen Feet Into Stilettos Top Videos of the Week: Angry Taco Bell Guy, Glacier Moves on House, Dog Hates Baths Cindy Crawford Stuns At Cannes
Parade
Magazine
Click HERE to read all your Parade favorites including Hollywood Wire, Celebrity interviews and photo galleries, Food recipes and cooking tips, Games and lots more.
  • -

     

    March 12, 2010

activity
Real Estate News