Sheboygan mom sentenced to prison after claims of child abuse
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - A Sheboygan mom charged with neglecting her daughter and dumping her dog in a ditch is headed to prison.
FOX6 Investigators first exposed Dawn Astudillo in 2020, for running an illegal day care in Waukesha and lying to clients about her real name.
Earlier this year, prosecutors in Sheboygan charged her for abandoning a badly emaciated dog and neglecting her malnourished 10-year-old daughter.
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On Wednesday, July 31, Astudillo pleaded no contest to causing mental harm to a child.
"I’m really sorry," Astudillo said. "I should’ve handled things differently with my daughter and I [...] have realized my mistakes and I take accountability."
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In April, Astudillo posted an online fundraiser, claiming her daughter was hospitalized with a life-threatening illness.
She later updated GoFundMe, admitting she did not need financial help to pay her daughter's medical bills. She needed money to pay for a lawyer to get her daughter back.
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Neighbors in Sheboygan said the girl had "badly sunken eyes." Doctors said she hadn't gained weight in three years.
Judge Rebecca Persick said she has a history of lying to police and to Child Protective Services.
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A Sheboygan mom raises thousands of dollars to pay her daughter's medical bills, but leaves out one crucial detail.
"You’re abusive, dishonest and extremely manipulative," Persick said. "And in my opinion that does make you very dangerous to the community."
Astudillo's attorney asked for probation and said the state is prepared to let her have supervised visits with her daughter once she's out.
Instead, Persick sentenced Astudillo to six years in prison and five years of extended supervision. That's 80% of the maximum she was facing.