The Manhattan couple who abducted their eight children from a Queens foster care facility in September has been sentenced to 60 days in jail, the Queens District Attorney announced Wednesday.
Mother Shanel Nadal, 28, and father Nephra Payne, 34, of Amsterdam Avenue in upper Manhattan, pleaded guilty last month to two counts of second-degree custodial interference.
"Today's sentence is a just and fair disposition of this case," said DA Richard Brown. "The defendants are held accountable for their actions and the children will be spared having to testify against their parents at trial."
The couple admitted to sneaking their children out of the Forestdale child care facility in Forest Hills during a supervised visit on Sept. 19.
The family slipped out of the back of the facility, and traveled to Harrisburg, Pa., where they were apprehended by U.S. Marshals and NYPD officers about a week later, on Sept. 26.
The children — seven boys named Nephra, who have different middle names, and an infant daughter, Nefertiti — range in age from 11 months to 12 years, according to the police complaint in Harrisburg. They were returned to New York City and are again under the care of the Administration for Children's Services. It's not clear if they were placed in the same homes.
In addition to the jail term, the couple will also serve three years probation, the DA said.
