An Emmett woman was sentenced to six to 10 years in prison Monday, June 29, for abusing her foster children.
Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Lane chastised Sarah Hager, 39, for the years of abuse she inflicted on the two victims, which included keeping them in cages and isolating them from other children.
“You treated them like they were animals, and you did not treat your own children that way,” Lane said at sentencing.
Hager was arrested in March following an investigation into the abuse. In July 2025, her former foster children told the St. Clair County Child Abuse & Neglect Council Child Advocacy Center about the abuse. A young boy described an incident in which Hager forced his face into urine as punishment, while the girl said she would be forced to take cold showers and then left with nothing but a fan to dry off.
Hager was originally charged with torture, two counts of first-degree child abuse and two counts of second-degree child abuse. A plea agreement reduced the charges to attempted torture, two counts of second-degree child abuse and one count of second-degree child abuse in the presence of a child.
Lane ordered Hager to serve six to 10 years for each of the child abuse charges and three-and-a-half to five years for attempted torture, all to be served concurrently.
Though the victim’s did not speak at the sentencing, one of them did ask the prosecution to read a letter they had written to the court.
“You don’t really scare me anymore,” the victim wrote. “I don’t believe in God or Satan anymore, but if they’re real I believe you will burn in Hell.”
Hager apologized to the court, admitting to Lane she had traumatized the victims. She said her interactions with the children had brought out a side of her that was “arrogant,” “rude” and “rueful,” and that she had undergone therapy to “rewrite” her brain.
“I make no excuses for the heinous acts I committed,” Hager told the court.
Lane pushed Hager to explain why she treated the foster children so different from her own. Hager said she did not have a good explanation, telling the court the children had already been traumatized and that their actions “triggered reciprocal behavior” in her.
Hager said she reported herself to Child Protective Services, but that the agency did nothing, a claim that Lane met with strong skepticism. The judge pointed out the children had said they were instructed to lie to CPS agents and there were no reports corroborating Hager’s story.
“I don’t believe you reached out to CPS,” Lane said. “I don’t believe you reached out for help. I think you’re making excuses. I know you’re going to say you aren’t, but you are.”
Hager was given credit for 119 days already served in jail.
Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Emmett woman sentenced for abusing foster children
Reporting by Johnathan Hogan, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Johnathan Hogan, Port Huron Times Herald | USA TODAY Network
