Texas stripper sentenced to 20 years for starving her children

By Jim Forsyth SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - A Texas woman who authorities said worked as a "freelance stripper" was sentenced on Thursday by a jury to 20 years in prison for starving her two daughters and neglecting their care. Kayela McClintick, 24 and of San Antonio, was convicted a day earlier by the same jury after it deliberated for about half an hour on two counts of injury to a child by omission. She could have faced up to life in prison. The girls were 23 months old and six years old, respectively, when they were taken into the care of social workers in 2012. Prosecutors told the jury that she forced the girls to stay in the closet when she stripped and performed lap dances for men at their home. Medical experts testified at the trial that the younger girl had protruding ribs, a distended stomach and clumps of hair missing. Both children were not being adequately fed. The children are in the care of state child services workers. (Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Ken Wills)