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Sentencing delayed in starving kids case
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Blair Parker
A Maricopa County Superior Court judge wants another hearing before he hands down a sentence against a Scottsdale man convicted of starving his three young children.
Vegan dad convicted of child abuse
Blair Parker, 38, was scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Roland Steinle on two counts of negligent child abuse and one felony count of child abuse Thursday, but the judge scheduled another hearing for Sept. 26.
Parker and his wife, members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, maintained they were keeping their children - two girls, ages 3 and 11, and a 9-year-old boy - on a strict vegan diet, avoiding meat, poultry and fish.
About half of Seventh Day Adventists eat meat, but about 20 percent are vegans, according to the Rev. Eugene Taylor, who was in court to support Parker.
However, authorities said in 2005 that the children were underfed and mistreated and deprived of meals as punishment.
About this time last year, Parker's wife, Kimu Parker, 38, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for intentionally and knowingly underfeeding the children.
Blair Parker, convicted last month, could be sentenced to anything from probation to 16 years in prison, according to his attorney, Tom Glow, who was in court Thursday.
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