A mother sentenced to prison Friday is to have no contact with her children during the 30 years of probation that follow incarceration.

Thomas County Superior Court Judge Harry Jay Altman sentenced Leslie Dawn Wilfred to 20 years in prison, serve eight years and the remainder on probation with credit for the 30 months she has been held in the Thomas County Jail.

Wilfred entered a guilty plea in March to five counts of cruelty to children.

The weeping, shackled 35-year-old woman apologized to the judge and acknowledged wrongdoings.

At the beginning of the Friday morning proceeding in a Thomas County Judicial Center courtroom, Altman said he would not follow the sentencing recommendation agreed upon by the district attorney’s office and defense counsel.

Altman called a brief recess for Wilfred and her court-appointed attorney, Jody Weathers of Moultrie, to talk.

When court resumed, Weathers told the judge his client wanted to proceed.

“It’s always hard to know what to say, judge,” Catherine Smith, assistant district attorney said, adding that the emotional case involves five children.

According to a Thomas County Sheriff’s Office report, on Nov. 13, 2008, a funeral was conducted at a local church for twins Wilfred said she gave birth to after about 22 weeks of gestation. She told investigators the babies were born Nov. 10, 2008, at Archbold Memorial Hospital, delivered by a Thomasville physician. Wilfred told investigators the babies died and were cremated.

Her children, ages eight to 12 at the time, participated in the service.

Witnesses told investigators the children cried and were upset at the loss of the twins. It was later discovered there was no delivery of twins and that Wilfred had deceived church members, others and her family, the report says.

On Nov. 21, 2008, during a search of Wilfred’s residence, a homemade wooden box was discovered in a closet. The box, which was secured to the closet floor with screws, contained a pillow and other bedding. The door to the closet had a lock on the outside.

The report said a 10-year-old boy had been confined in the box.

“In making this recommendation, we tried to do what was best for the children,” Smith told Altman during sentencing. The case is shocking, she said, and shocks the community.

Punishment handed down should ensure the behavior is not repeated, Smith said.

“She asks the court to be as merciful as possible under the circumstances,” Weathers told the judge. Pointing out the time Wilfred has spent in jail, Weathers said his client has no prior criminal record and is a nurse.

“It’s going to take her the rest of her life to make amends for what she did. Make amends is what she’ll do,” defense counsel told Altman.

Wearing a jail uniform and with her ankles shackled, Wilfred said, “I know I have done wrong. I know what my problems are.”

Wilfred told Altman she has “had problems” since she was born and that she cannot take back what she did. She said that if released, she would not harm society, that she had learn who she is and what her problems are.

Weeping, she apologized to the court, her father and society.

Conditions of Wilfred’s probation include no contact with victims unless approved by the probation office, a psychologist or psychiatrist treating the children, or the court.

She is to undergo alcohol and drug screening and treatment and pay restitution of $1,303 to the church and $600 to the church pastor for aid she received under false pretenses.

The prison sentence was meted in a guilty plea to cruelty to children in the first degree, an offense that involves excessive mental or physical pain. Probated sentences were for four counts of cruelty to children in the second degree, which involves mental and physical pain done with criminal negligence.

Probation also was the sentence for a guilty plea to theft by deception. Wilfred said a child was a cancer patient and needed treatment. She took donations from the church and individuals for bogus cancer treatments.

After sentencing, Smith said the sentence recommended by the district attorney’s office and defense counsel was 20 years, serve five. She was concerned the sentence was “too little, but we did what we did to help the children.”

Bob Brettel, sheriff’s office investigator in the Wilfred case, was in the courtroom during sentencing.

“The prosecutor (Smith) did a more than excellent job in prosecution, research and preparation of this case,” Brettel said after the proceeding.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820.