Amber Huber was sentenced to one year of probation Thursday for a reduced charge of assault, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Charlotte Caldwell | The Lima News
LIMA — A former foster parent pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge and was sentenced to one year of probation Thursday in the Allen County Common Pleas Court after an incident in November 2023 involving a 9-year-old foster child.
Judge Jeffrey Reed also imposed a 180-day jail sentence on Amber Huber, 37, of Lima, but it will not be served unless Huber violates probation or commits another crime.
Huber was indicted on second-degree felony and first-degree misdemeanor charges of endangering children, but pleading guilty to the first-degree misdemeanor assault charge dismissed the previous charges.
Before sentencing, Special Prosecuting Attorney for Allen County Dillon Staas IV — who is also an assistant prosecutor in Van Wert County — said the case involved Huber grabbing and squeezing the victim and not hitting.
Huber’s attorney, Zachary Maisch, said it was a punishment that got out of hand. He said she was frustrated and stressed about not getting help from the foster system to care for the child, and she was taking care of the child alone because her husband was out of the state. Maisch said Huber has her own children, and the foster child is no longer living with her and she has no criminal record.
Huber apologized and took responsibility for her actions.
Reach Charlotte Caldwell at 567-242-0451.
