Ferguson sentenced to 65 yrs. in prison

(SPRINGFIELD, Ohio) - A 46-year-old Springfield woman was sentenced today to 65 years in prison for beatings, abuse and mental torture inflicted against her five adopted children. Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray's office joined Union County Prosecuting Attorney David Phillips to prosecute the case.

"We believe this is one of the worst child abuse cases in Ohio history," said Attorney General Cordray. "These children endured years of unthinkable torture. The children's efforts toward mental and emotional recovery continue today. It was a complicated, difficult and lengthy case, but I'm pleased that the cooperative participation and expertise of our Special Prosecutions staff could help ensure this woman, as well as her husband, would be dealt appropriately strong penalties."

Prosecuting Attorney Phillips agrees. "I want to thank Attorney General Cordray for his office's participation in this case. This was a complex prosecution involving five child victims, well over 10,000 pages of documents, and several medical and expert witnesses among the dozens of total witnesses. Assistant Attorney General Chris Wagner was an important member of the prosecution team, and his assistance was vital to the conviction of this child abuser."

Cordray's Special Prosecutions Unit and Prosecuting Attorney Phillips prosecuted the case jointly. Phillips initiated prosecution in Union County but eventually sought indictments in Clark County. Indications of abuse were noted while the Fergusons and their children were living in Union County in 2004, but the family had previously lived in Springfield and it was determined that many of the incidents had taken place in Clark County.

Vonda Ferguson follows her husband to prison. 49-year-old James Ferguson is currently serving a 65-year sentence for his role in the abuse of the same children. James Ferguson's sentence was handed down in April 2008.

"I am pleased that as a result of today's sentencing, Vonda Ferguson and her husband will both likely spend the rest of their lives in prison where they will not be able to abuse any other children," Phillips stated. "Most importantly, the children are safe from further harm and can now begin the long road toward healing their physical and emotional scars."

The victims – three boys and two girls who ranged in age from 9 to 14 when they were removed from the Fergusons' home in 2004 – had been adopted by the Fergusons over the preceeding 11 years. The prosecution of James and Vonda Ferguson proved that while the Fergusons were active in their church and the children were known to be quiet and unfailingly polite, the couple beat the boys and girls to the point of bleeding with belts and hammers, restrained and gagged them with duct tape including during some beatings, forced them to eat excrement, and strangled, choked and burned the children in a pattern of abuse that continued on an often daily basis. Social workers ordered counseling for the family when allegations of abuse first surfaced. Vonda Ferguson had just left a phone message for a counselor in November 2004 when she failed to disconnect and was inadvertently recorded, threatening to stab one of the children. The children were removed from the home that day.

Following a three-week jury trial, Vonda Ferguson was convicted on Nov. 20 of all 32 counts against her, including first-degree felony counts of rape as well as felonious assault, permitting child abuse and endangering children. Ferguson was held in the Clark County Jail pending sentencing, where she was kept on suicide watch after ingesting a handful of over-the-counter sleeping medication as the verdicts were read. Following today's hearing, Ferguson will be turned over to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to begin serving her sentence.