Couple gets 7 years in prison for forcing young girl to work in their home for 16 years

When she arrived in the US, the West African girl was just 5 years old, but she soon was responsible for caring for a Texas couple's children, cooking, cleaning and mowing the lawn. She was abused and neglected for 16 years -- until she escaped, according to a criminal complaint against the couple.

The pair has now been sentenced to seven years each in prison and nearly $300,000 in restitution, according to a Monday news release from the Justice Department.

Mohamed Toure, 58, and Denise Cros-Toure, 58, were convicted in January of forced labor, conspiracy to harbor an alien and alien harboring.

They both are citizens of Guinea -- where the young girl was taken from -- and lawful permanent residents of the US, but may lose their US immigration status and be deported to Guinea, the Justice Department said.

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