Woman who had nearly 370 animals gets probation

PLEASANT HILL, Mo. (AP) — A woman who had been charged with child endangerment after almost 370 animals were seized from her Missouri farm has been placed on two years of unsupervised probation.

Sixty-two-year-old Virginia Gambriel was charged with two counts of first-degree child endangerment after a raid in August 2008. But she was found guilty of lesser misdemeanor charges in October. Gambriel was sentenced on Wednesday.

Polk County investigators and the Humane Society of Missouri rescued almost 370 malnourished animals from Gambriel's farm near Pleasant Hope. About 100 of the animals were kept inside the mobile home where Gambriel and two of her grandchildren lived.

Gambriel is barred from caring for any children at the home or keeping more than three animals. She is due in court on Nov. 25 to face 13 misdemeanor charges related to animal abuse.

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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com