Megan Huntsman, Killer Of Six Newborns, Gets Sentence: Does The Punishment Fit The Crime?

Megan Huntsman, the Utah mom convicted earlier this year of strangling six of her own children to death and keeping their bodies in her garage, has received a final sentence.

The judgment: 49 years in prison with the possibility of parole in April 2064. Huntsman, who is 40, will be 89 before ever having a chance at freedom, according to a report from KUTV.

Bodies of the six victims plus an additional dead baby that was found to be stillborn were discovered by the estranged husband of Megan Huntsman. He contacted authorities immediately afterward.

Huntsman was arrested and claimed that she killed the children because she was “too messed up” on meth to properly care for them.

Authorities found that shortly after the babies were born, Megan pressed on their throats with her thumbs until they stopped breathing.

In April, the Inquisitr reported that Huntsman could be looking at a sentence of 30 years to life in prison.

More from the previous report.

“Police who worked the case have really been scarred for life.

“‘It’s been horrible for our department. Some of the things officers saw in that garage, they can never unsee,’ said Pleasant Gove police detective Dan Beckstrom.

“The Utah mom does seem to be showing remorse following her actions.

“‘Depression and alcohol took hold of me the same way drugs did. I cannot give a reasonable answer why I was capable of such a sick and heinous crime. I held my secret for 18 years,’ she said in a statement.”

The children that Megan Huntsman killed were born from 1996 to 2006 and were alive for only “minutes” after their birth.

Reaction shortly following her sentencing was strong, both in the courtroom and online. Here’s just a sampling of how people are reacting.

“49 years doesn’t seem long enough for killing 6 babies,” wrote one Daily Mail commenter. “I’m having trouble with the fact that her husband never seemed to know she was pregnant… six times… At least those poor little things are in a better place now.”

Others questioned the husband’s story.

“I somehow find it hard to believe that a man, who obviously had consistent sex with his wife, had no idea seven times that she was pregnant. I DON’T BELIEVE IT.”

While that may seem odd to most, authorities only had enough evidence to go after Megan Huntsman. Do you think she got what she deserved, and do you think the husband’s story is credible? Sound off in the comments section.

[Image via KUTV, linked above]