A Lynnwood mother who locked her three children in a filthy bedroom in February pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of unlawful imprisonment.
Raemie Lee Higlen-Doel, 23, is scheduled to be sentenced July 12.
She could serve up to eight months behind bars, although defense attorney Mickey Krom of Everett and deputy prosecutor Janice Albert said they will recommend a four-month sentence.
Her husband, Robert Eugene Doel, 25, pleaded guilty earlier and was given a two-month jail sentence.
The important thing, Albert said, is that the three children have been taken out of the home and are under state care, Albert said.
The case came to light on Feb. 9 when sheriff’s deputies went to the couple’s apartment on Lincoln Way to serve an arrest warrant charging the husband with assault during a domestic dispute.
Officers found one of the bedroom doors tied with rope and elastic cord. The officer said he heard a young boy saying, "Let me out," court documents say. Officers found two boys, ages 6 and 2, and a girl, 4, in the room.
The youngest child had no diaper, and the floor was covered with crumbs, filth and feces, documents say. The younger boy had a bad rash on his bottom, and all the children were described as filthy.
Feces was smeared on the wall, and there was a bunk bed with inadequate covers and three pillows, a Nintendo Game Boy, a TV, four toy cars and three stuffed animals, documents say.
There was no water, but officers found an empty popcorn bag, a candy wrapper, a half-eaten pastry, a paper plate and several sucker sticks.
The oldest child told officers the children were put in their room every day so their mother could work around the apartment, documents say.
While the children were kept in crude conditions, the apartment sported a new wide-screen TV and computers. There was little food for the children in the cupboards, documents say.
Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or haley@heraldnet.com.
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