Carnation father gets prison for standing by as child was starved

A Carnation-area man was sentenced today to three years and five months in prison for failing to intervene while his wife systematically starved his daughter and limited the girl to a few drops of water a day.

Jon Pomeroy, 43, received the top end of a sentencing range of 31 to 41 months during his appearance before King County Superior Court Judge William Downing, who noted the severity and length of the mistreatment in handing down the sentence.

Pomeroy, who pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal mistreatment on Aug. 31, choked on tears in court today as he apologized for his actions, saying he was " deeply sorry" for his actions.

"Nothing I say is going to change any of this," he said.

Pomeroy's wife, Rebecca Long, entered a modified guilty plea Sept. 4 to first-degree criminal mistreatment of her stepdaughter, now 15. Long is awaiting sentencing.

Prosecutors and police have said Pomeroy and Long isolated and starved the girl, who was 4 feet 7 and weighed just 48 pounds when authorities found her in August 2008 after they were called to the home to check on the girl at the request of Child Protective Services. The teen suffered dehydration so severe that all of her were teeth rotting, according to court documents.

The girl stepped to the front of the courtroom today to read a letter to the judge, but broke down in tears and walked away without speaking. Downing assured her he had read her letter, which had been previously submitted to the court.

Information from The Seattle Times archives is included in this story.

Steve Miletich: 206-464-3302 or smiletich@seattletime.com