A Schuylkill County couple who locked three mistreated children in an attic will spend years locked in prison cells.

Jennifer Ashlin Yost, 29, and Todd M. Richter, 34, admitted to Schuylkill County Judge James P. Goodman that they abused Richter’s children - beating them, starving them, and keeping them in the attic of their Minersville home.

Goodman sentenced Yost to serve 6 to 15 years in prison. Richter, her boyfriend, will serve 27 months to 4½ years.

A third person, Wendy M. Yost, 54, who lived next door and is Jennifer Yost’s mother, was also charged. She’ll be sentenced on Aug. 15, according to court documents.

Assistant District Attorney Michael J. Stine prosecuted the case.

The children’s nightmare finally ended on March 10, 2021 when one of the children, a 12-year-old boy, escaped and was rescued by a neighbor, according to multiple news reports.

The other children were an 11-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl.

The children are now living with their mother.

Yost was charged with three counts each of felony aggravated assault - attempts to cause severe bodily injury or causes injury with extreme indifference and aggravated assault - victim less than 13 and defendant 18 or older; and one count of a felony charges of aggravated assault - attempts to cause or causes bodily injury with a deadly weapon; and three felony counts of unlawful restraint of a minor - not the parent/risk of bodily injury; three felony counts of unlawful restraint of a minor - not the parent; three felony counts of endangering the welfare of children; two second degree misdemeanor counts of strangulation - blocking the nose/mouth of another; one second degree misdemeanor count of strangulation - apply pressure to throat or neck; 14 misdemeanor counts of simple assault; and three second degree misdemeanor counts of endangering another person.

The charges were dated March 1, 2019.

On June 28, Yost pleaded guilty to one felony count of aggravated assault - attempts to cause or causes bodily injury with a deadly weapon, for which Judge Goodman sentenced her to serve 2 to 7 years in state prison.

Yost also pleaded to three felony counts of endangering the welfare of children for which Goodman sentenced her to 14 to 28 months on each charges; two counts of strangulation - blocking the nose and mouth of another, for which he sentenced her to 1 to 12 months; two counts of simple assault, for which Goodman sentenced her to 2 to 12 months.

The remaining charges were dropped in plea negotiations.

Richter was charged with the same crimes as Yost. He pleaded guilty to three counts of endangering the welfare of children.

Goodman sentenced him to 9 to 18 months on each count, to be served consecutively.

Wendy M. Yost was charged with the same crimes as her daughter and Richter. She pleaded guilty to three counts of false imprisonment of a minor/not a parent. The remaining charges were dropped.