CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Cheektowaga woman is headed to prison for forcibly holding a child inside her home for extended periods of time.
A judge sentenced 58-year-old Carol Steinagle Tuesday morning to eight years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision for Kidnapping.
Her boyfriend and co-defendant, 44-year-old James McGonnell, received the same sentence in August 2023.
Between November 2017 and January 2020, the two, who were the victim's caregivers at the time, forced the victim to remain in a bedroom or the garage for extended periods of time inside their home on Queens Drive in Cheektowaga. They also made threats if the victim did not remain confined inside the bedroom.
The child was also denied basic needs, including food, clothing and access to the bathroom.
In 2020, investigators said Steinagle and McGonnell kept the victim in a room in the garage, sometimes for more than 12 hours at a time, and repeatedly beat her.
7 News spoke with the victim's mother in September 2020. She said the Seneca Nation of Indians Peacemaker’s Court gave her child's father full custody because he is a member of the Seneca Nation and she isn't.
“I’m just happy to be in her life and she’s safe.”
Watch the full story with the abuse victim's mother below.
At the time, we reached out to the Seneca Nation, but we were told through a spokesman that the Nation’s courts do not discuss court cases.
