NY Couple Who Kept A Partially Paralyzed Woman Captive And Physically Abused Her, Jailed For Over 10 Years

A couple from New York City was sentenced to over a decade in prison, after held a a partially paralyzed woman captive for over a year, took control of her finances and physicall abused her. The pair had faced possible life sentences, but pled guilty in a plea deal reached with prosecutors.

Patrick Donovan was sentenced to 12 years, while Mae Washington was sentenced to 11 years in prison. When the victim was found in March 2012, she was huddled on the floor in a locked room at the couple’s home, was bleeding from her head and had broken bones, The Associated Press reported. The room did not have any mattress or bed, prosecutors said.

The victim had reportedly given the couple all her income out of fear.

Washington and Donovan faced 11 charges, including kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. They pled guilty to first-degree assault in the State Supreme Court in Queens, Reuters reported.

The victim said she was “thrilled” about not having to testify because she did “not want to relive the nightmare and face them again," Assistant District Attorney Patricia Theodorou said, according to Reuters.

Steve Goldenberg, Donovan's attorney said that his client felt remorse and believed there had been a misunderstanding. "He believes they were trying to help her," Goldenberg said, according to Reuters.