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Definition of assign

 (Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

Definition of assign  (Entry 2 of 2)

  • intrust

ascribe , attribute , assign , impute , credit mean to lay something to the account of a person or thing.

ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship.

attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe , less definiteness than assign .

assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation.

impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame.

credit implies ascribing a thing or especially an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation.

Examples of assign in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'assign.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French assigner , from Latin assignare , from ad- + signare to mark, from signum mark, sign

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing assign

  • pre - assign

Dictionary Entries Near assign

Cite this entry.

“Assign.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assign. Accessed 24 Feb. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of assign, legal definition, legal definition of assign.

Legal Definition of assign  (Entry 2 of 2)

More from Merriam-Webster on assign

Nglish: Translation of assign for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of assign for Arabic Speakers

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to give or allocate; allot: to assign rooms at a hotel.

to give out or announce as a task: to assign homework.

to appoint, as to a post or duty: to assign one to guard duty.

to designate; name; specify: to assign a day for a meeting.

to ascribe; attribute; bring forward: to assign a cause.

Law . to transfer: to assign a contract.

Military . to place permanently on duty with a unit or under a commander.

Law . to transfer property, especially in trust or for the benefit of creditors.

Usually assigns. Law . a person to whom the property or interest of another is or may be transferred; assignee : my heirs and assigns.

Origin of assign

Synonym study for assign, other words for assign, other words from assign.

  • as·sign·er; Chiefly Law . as·sign·or [ uh -sahy- nawr , as- uh - nawr ], /ə saɪˈnɔr, ˌæs əˈnɔr/, noun
  • mis·as·sign, verb
  • non·as·signed, adjective
  • pre·as·sign, verb (used with object)
  • pre·as·signed, adjective
  • re·as·sign, verb (used with object)
  • self-as·signed, adjective
  • un·as·signed, adjective
  • well-as·signed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use assign in a sentence

Father Frank assigns Rule to locate the three children she kidnapped—now grown men—whom she helped farm out into adoption.

It assigns to the president - not to some judge - the authority to determine who committed the 9/11 attacks.

Based on its findings it assigns each candidate (or fake candidate) a daily favorability rating.

Based on its findings it assigns each candidate a daily favorability rating.

Based on its findings it assigns each candidate a daily favorability rating on a scale of negative 100 to positive 100.

Your Majesty assigns him no salary, for it seems to be your intention to have him attend to that duty with his salary as fiscal.

The officer in charge assigns me to a machine occupied by a lanky prisoner in stripes.

A more serious difficulty is raised by the high antiquity which M. Gevaert assigns to the Perfect System.

It defines the powers and prerogatives of government, and assigns to each department its limits and its sphere.

Only so can he conform to that last and highest function which Shaftesbury assigns to the painter.

British Dictionary definitions for assign

/ ( əˈsaɪn ) /

to select for and appoint to a post, etc : to assign an expert to the job

to give out or allot (a task, problem, etc) : to assign advertising to an expert

to set apart (a place, person, time, etc) for a particular function or event : to assign a day for the meeting

to attribute to a specified cause, origin, or source; ascribe : to assign a stone cross to the Vikings

to transfer (one's right, interest, or title to property) to someone else

(also intr) law (formerly) to transfer (property) to trustees so that it may be used for the benefit of creditors

military to allocate (men or materials) on a permanent basis : Compare attach (def. 6)

computing to place (a value corresponding to a variable) in a memory location

law a person to whom property is assigned; assignee

Derived forms of assign

  • assignable , adjective
  • assignability , noun
  • assignably , adverb
  • assigner , noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

  • Conjunctions
  • Prepositions

ASSIGN in a Sentence Examples: 21 Ways to Use Assign

sentence with Assign

Have you ever been confused about how to properly utilize the word “assign” in a sentence? Let’s clear up any uncertainty by examining its meaning and usage.

“Assign” is a verb that means to allocate or designate a particular task, role, or characteristic to someone or something. It is commonly used in various contexts, such as in academic settings, work environments, and daily activities.

Table of Contents

7 Examples Of Assign Used In a Sentence For Kids

  • Assign the colors to the shapes.
  • Can you assign the numbers in order?
  • Let’s assign the animals to their homes.
  • Assign the correct letters to the pictures.
  • We need to assign seats for the activity.
  • Don’t forget to assign your name to the paper.
  • Can you assign the correct words to the sentences?

14 Sentences with Assign Examples

  • Make sure to assign enough time for studying each subject to avoid last-minute cramming.
  • The professor will assign a research project that will count towards your final grade.
  • It is important to assign group roles and responsibilities when working on a group project.
  • Remember to assign specific deadlines for different sections of your thesis to stay on track.
  • Attend all classes regularly to stay updated on assigned work and upcoming exams.
  • Use a planner to keep track of all assigned tasks, deadlines, and important dates.
  • Make sure to ask for clarification if you are unsure about the assigned task or project requirements.
  • After assigning a topic for your presentation, start researching and preparing your outline.
  • It is essential to assign yourself breaks while studying to avoid burnout.
  • Review the assigned readings before each lecture to actively participate in class discussions.
  • Collaborate with classmates to discuss assigned readings and share different perspectives.
  • Take initiative and assign yourself extra practice problems to enhance your understanding of the material.
  • Assign study sessions in a quiet and well-lit area to maximize focus and productivity.
  • Seek feedback from professors on assigned papers or projects to improve your work.

How To Use Assign in Sentences?

Assign is a verb that means to allocate or designate a task, responsibility, or role to someone or something. Assign is often used to indicate the distribution of work, duties, or resources in a specific way.

When using Assign in a sentence, it is important to remember to place the word before the object or task being allocated. For example, “The teacher will assign homework to the students,” clearly states that the teacher is giving homework to the students.

Another way to use Assign is in a more professional setting. For instance, “The manager will assign specific projects to each team member,” shows that tasks are being distributed among the team.

To effectively utilize Assign in a sentence, it is important to consider the context and make sure the meaning is clear. Assignments can vary in complexity and importance, so using the word accurately will help convey the intended message.

In conclusion, when incorporating Assign into your sentence, remember to place it before the task or role you are allocating. By doing so, you can effectively communicate who is responsible for what.

In conclusion, the concept of assigning tasks or responsibilities is vital in organizing and delegating work effectively. Assigning tasks ensures that duties are clearly defined and individuals understand their roles within a team or organization. For instance, “I will assign you to work on the marketing campaign for our new product launch” clearly designates a specific task to an individual, making expectations clear.

Additionally, assigning tasks can help streamline workflows, prevent duplication of efforts, and improve overall productivity. For example, “Let’s assign different team members to research, design, and implement the project to ensure efficiency and collaboration.” By properly assigning tasks, teams can work together harmoniously towards achieving common goals and objectives.

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Definition of assign verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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meaning of assign and sentence

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(Definition of assign from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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a game played by two or more children in which one child chases the others and tries to touch one of them. This child then becomes the one who does the chasing.

Infinitive or -ing verb? Avoiding common mistakes with verb patterns (1)

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meaning of assign and sentence

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meaning of assign and sentence

Meaning of "assign" in the English dictionary

Etymology of the word assign, pronunciation of assign, grammatical category of assign.

See the conjugation of the verb assign in English .

WHAT DOES ASSIGN MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Definition of assign in the english dictionary.

The first definition of assign in the dictionary is to select for and appoint to a post, etc. Other definition of assign is to give out or allot. Assign is also to set apart for a particular function or event.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO ASSIGN

Conditional, words that rhyme with assign, words that begin like assign, words that end like assign, synonyms and antonyms of assign in the english dictionary of synonyms, synonyms of «assign», words relating to «assign», translation of «assign» into 25 languages.

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TRANSLATION OF ASSIGN

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FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «ASSIGN» OVER TIME

Examples of use in the english literature, quotes and news about assign, 10 quotes with «assign», 10 english books relating to «assign», 10 news items which include the term «assign».

How children assign meaning to words and sentences

While most two-year-olds can recognize a range of nouns, such as the words that identify their parents, their siblings, and their favorite toys or foods, you certainly wouldn’t expect them to be able to grasp more advanced grammar—especially concepts like transitive and intransitive verbs.

Cynthia Fisher’s research gives us reason to rethink that assumption.

Her work focuses on language acquisition, specifically how very young children interpret words and sentences. While conventional wisdom says that knowing the meaning of each word is central to that task, Fisher says sentence structure, or syntax, plays a primary role as well—even for those as young as 15 months old.

“The language we learn is not just words but a formal system of combining the finite set of words or expressions for our own purposes as a way to say new things,” said Fisher, professor of psychology and linguistics, and a member of Beckman’s Illinois Language and Learning Initiative. “It’s the grammar that allows us to make new combinations and figure out an unlimited set of sentences. “

“One of the questions I’m most interested in is: ‘How is it possible that the structures of sentences affect how very young children interpret their meaning even before they have learned much about the grammar of their language?’”

Syntax Facts

The answer to that question begins with an understanding of “syntactic bootstrapping,” the theory that young learners use their preliminary knowledge of syntax to infer the meaning of words. This idea was developed in 1985 by Lila Gleitman, Fisher’s graduate advisor at the University of Pennsylvania, and has informed Fisher’s work since she wrote her dissertation.

The idea is that once toddlers know a handful of nouns, like “Mommy,” “baby,” and “cup,” for instance, “they have a tiny bit of structure that can be used as building blocks for more structure,” said Fisher. “A simple set of nouns is sufficient to learn new things about the language,” such as identifying verbs.

“To study the learners’ sensitivity to syntax, we use invented verbs, like ‘pilking’ or ‘kradding,’” said Fisher. “Simple syntactic cues, like how many nouns occur in the sentence, help babies determine meaning. A sentence with two nouns, for instance, tells the learner that the sentence’s meaning involves two participants.”

Some Words About Verbs

How does Fisher test the theory when the children are too young to express their knowledge in speech?

She explains it this way. “Imagine a 16-month-old is sitting in front of a television with two video ‘windows.’ One video shows a two-participant event, such as a box, bumping another box along. The other shows the action of one participant, perhaps a ball jumping up and down. While watching these two events, the child hears an invented verb--either transitive, with a direct object, like “Mommy is pilking the baby,” or intransitive, without a direct object, like “Mommy is pilking.” We videotape the kids and track their eye gaze, coding which video they’re looking at. What we find is that the children who hear the transitive verb look longer at the two-participant event than the kids who hear the intransitive verb do.”

A Beckman collaboration is advancing this work on “baby knowledge of syntax.” Dan Roth, professor of computer science and a member of the Illinois Language and Learning Initiative, is a pioneer in the use of advanced machine learning methods in natural language processing. With current postdoctoral research associate Christos Christodoulopoulos, Roth and Fisher have developed a computational model that allows for further experimentation as well as refinement of the syntactic bootstrapping theory.

The model, called BabySRL (SRL for Semantic Role Labeling), verifies that it is possible for very young children to begin learning sentence-level semantics, and to identify verbs, once they can identify a small number of nouns. Future work with the model will test how the theory can be extended to more complex sentence structures.

Fisher’s expertise in language acquisition and infant cognition has also added to other Beckman collaborations, including research being conducted by psychology professors Gabriele Gratton and Monica Fabiani of the Mechanisms of Cognitive Control Group. The team is exploring how a technology that Gratton and Fabiani have developed for studying brain function, the Event-Related Optical Signal (EROS), can be used to measure the brain activity of infants during learning tasks.

Making Sense of Sentences

Collaborations beyond Beckman involve whether the theory of syntactic bootstrapping applies best to English or holds up equally well in other languages. Kyong-sun Jin, who earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Illinois, is examining that question in her research as a postdoctoral fellow at Yonsei University.

Fisher says Korean is an excellent choice for testing the theory because it is one of several languages in which speakers can drop nouns from sentences. Results from the same methods of video testing and eye-gaze monitoring used in Fisher’s lab in the United States indicate that “despite the many differences between languages, there are more similarities in the kinds of information that input sentences provide than you might expect,” said Fisher.

Whatever the language, the research continues to provide insights into how children assign meaning to words and sentences.

“It’s an exciting notion that the structure of sentences can be intrinsically meaningful to young children, helping to push them into new interpretations and new learning about the grammar,” said Fisher. “There is a relationship between structure and meaning, and that’s something that even very young children can discover.”

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Example sentences assign meaning

Elaborative, as opposed to descriptive, titles are particularly important in helping viewers assign meaning to abstract art.
None of the statements given by her assign meaning to the scenes.
Unlike a traditional bubble chart, such displays don't assign meaning to x- or y-axis positions, but seek to pack circles as tightly as possible to make efficient use of space.
They group the words together, creating units that can be assigned meaning.
Among other terms, certain basic terms are assigned meanings.

Definition of 'assign' assign

IPA Pronunciation Guide

Definition of 'meaning' meaning

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The Trump fraud trial verdict goes well beyond ordering the ex-president to pay $355 million. Here's what the ruling means.

  • Trump, his eldest sons, and the Trump Organization must repay $364 million from a decade of fraud.
  • Friday's verdict also bars Trump from running a New York business for three years.
  • Judge Arthur Engoron wrote that Trump's frauds "leap off the page and shock the conscience."

Insider Today

In a scathing verdict that punishes a decade of deceit, the judge in Donald Trump's New York civil-fraud case on Friday slammed the GOP frontrunner, his two eldest sons, and his company with a nearly $364 million cash penalty.

"The frauds found here leap off the page and shock the conscience," the verdict by the New York Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron , who has presided over the case for more than three years, said.

While Trump is personally on the hook for almost $355 million of that penalty, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump must pay $4 million each, and the former Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg must pay $1 million.

But the verdict hits way beyond just Trump's wallet. It targets his real-estate and golf-resort empire, the Trump Organization, in two ways that Trump has pushed against for years.

First, the verdict wrests control of the company further from the former president and his two eldest sons, leaving major company decisions to a yet-named "independent director of compliance" who'll operate under Trump's court-appointed monitor's continuing watch .

Second, it sets a three-year ban on Trump running the Trump Organization or any other business in the city and state where he made his name — and where he first seized a national spotlight as a brash real-estate mogul. For Trump, it's the commercial equivalent of being run out of town on a rail.

Significantly — and this is a big silver lining for Trump — the verdict reverses the most unfriendly elements of the judge's pre-trial " corporate death penalty " judgment from September.

He no longer has to surrender all of the Trump Organization's New York operating licenses, and the verdict does not mention the forced sale of any Trump properties.

The verdict caps a five-year effort by the office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James .

On Friday afternoon, James issued a statement celebrating the verdict.

She said that Trump has engaged in fraud for years to enrich his own family and company.

Now, he and his codefendants will have to pay more than $450 million, including interest.

"While he may have authored the 'Art of the Deal,' our case revealed that his business was based on the art of the steal," she said.

Trump is expected to immediately appeal, likely putting these and other punishments from the 92-page verdict on ice well past the November election.

But in the coming weeks, Trump will still have to spend millions on a surety bond — a bond guaranteeing performance of a contract or obligation — to guarantee he can pay whatever dollar figure, plus interest, an appellate court ultimately upholds.

Interest also applies to the penalties, potentially adding millions more to his ultimate verdict price tag.

"When confronted at trial with the statements, defendants' fact and expert witnesses simply denied reality, and defendants failed to accept responsibility or to impose internal controls to prevent future recurrences," Engoron wrote Friday.

The verdict holds Trump civilly liable, based on Engoron's three-month Manhattan bench trial, for leading a conspiracy to commit business and insurance fraud with help from his two eldest sons and a pair of long-standing Trump Organization executives.

"Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological," Engoron wrote.

"They are accused only of inflating asset values to make more money," the verdict said.

"The documents prove this over and over again. This is a venial sin, not a mortal sin," he added. "Defendants did not commit murder or arson. They did not rob a bank at gunpoint. Donald Trump is not Bernard Madoff. Yet, defendants are incapable of admitting the error of their ways."

In a statement, a Trump Organization spokesperson decried the verdict as a "gross miscarriage of justice."

"Every member of the New York business community, no matter the industry, should be gravely concerned with this gross overreach and brazen attempt by the Attorney General to exert limitless power where no private or public harm has been established," the spokesperson said in the statement. "If allowed to stand, this ruling will only further expedite the continuing exodus of companies from New York."

Read Friday's verdict here .

"Today, justice has been served. This is a tremendous victory for this state, this nation, and for everyone who believes that we all must play by the same rules — even former presidents," James said in her statement Friday. 

" When powerful people cheat to get better loans, it comes at the expense of honest and hardworking people," James continued. "Everyday Americans cannot lie to a bank to get a mortgage to buy a home, and if they did, our government would throw the book at them. There simply cannot be different rules for different people .

Some lesser penalties

The verdict also bans Trump and the Trump Organization from borrowing from New York banks or purchasing real estate in the state for three years. James had asked for a five-year ban on such buying and borrowing in her lawsuit.

Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are banned from running a New York business for two years. James had asked for five-year bans for the brothers.

And it bans the two former executives, the ex-CFO Weisselberg and the former Trump Organization controller Jeff McConney, from controlling another New York company's finances.

meaning of assign and sentence

Watch: Trump fights back as fraud trial begins

meaning of assign and sentence

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Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt sentenced to up to 30 years in prison in child abuse case

By Kerry Breen

Updated on: February 20, 2024 / 3:17 PM EST / CBS News

Parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke and her business parter Jodi Hildebrandt, who pleaded guilty to child abuse charges that stemmed from one of Franke's children  escaping Hildebrandt's house  in August to beg a neighbor for help, have been sentenced to prison. Each could serve as much as 30 years, the prosecutor said after the hearing, the most severe penalty available under Utah law.

Franke has been sentenced to four consecutive prison terms, CBS News affiliate KUTV reported Tuesday , which could range from one to 15 years each. The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole will determine prison time, KUTV reported. Franke has 30 days to appeal the decision. 

Hildebrandt received the same sentence of four consecutive prison terms, KUTV reported, which could again range from one to 15 years each. Like Franke, Hildebrandt's prison time will be determined by the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole.

Franke, who gave parenting advice on her now-defunct "8 Passengers" YouTube channel, and Hildebrandt, who operated a counseling business called ConneXions Classroom, were each initially charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse, a second-degree felony. Each count carried a potential penalty of one to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. 

While reading the sentencing recommendation, state prosecutor Eric Clarke compared the environment Franke's children faced to a "concentration camp-like setting," and said that Franke "committed horrible acts of child abuse." While addressing Hildebrandt's charges, Clarke called her a "significant threat" to the community. 

Both women addressed the court before their sentencings, with Hildebrandt saying that she would "submit to what the state feels is an appropriate amount of time served." Franke admitted that she and Hildebrandt had "inflicted the injuries" on her children. She said that she had been "led to believe that this world is an evil place" and that Hildebrandt had never been her "business responsibility," but that she had paid the other woman to be her mentor. Franke also thanked public safety officials who rescued her children, calling them "angels," according to KUTV. 

"My charges are just," Franke said. "They offer safety to my family, accountability to the public." 

What did Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt do? 

In December, Franke  pleaded guilty to four counts of child abuse  and admitted that she tortured her children, including the now 12-year-old boy who escaped Hildebrandt's home. In the plea agreement, which contained graphic details of abuse, Franke said her son was often kept bound, and that her nine-year-old daughter was made to do manual labor outside in the hot sun with no water or shoes. Both children were often told they were possessed and that their punishments were necessary to help them. 

The boy told officials that Hildebrandt had tied him up and used home remedies to treat wounds caused by the restraints, according to court documents reviewed by KUTV . 

As part of her plea deal, Franke agreed to serve a prison term and agreed that her sentences would run consecutively. She also agreed to testify against Hildebrandt. 

Hildebrandt also pleaded guilty , just days after Franke, to four counts of child abuse. Her plea agreement stated that she either tortured the children or was aware of the abuse. The agreement also stated that Hildebrandt "either physically forced or coerced" Franke's daughter to "jump into a cactus multiple times." 

The crimes were motivated by their religious faith, said Washington County Attorney Eric Clarke in a statement.

"This is a case about religious extremism. The defendants appear to have fully believed that the abuse they inflicted was necessary to teach the children how to properly repent for imagined 'sins' and to cast the evil spirits out of their bodies," Clarke said. "Hildebrandt regularly stated that God communicated directly with her and gave her directions. Franke accepted Hildebrandt as her leader and followed her instructions and guidance." 

Where is Ruby Franke's family now? 

Even before the criminal charges, Franke was criticized on YouTube for her harsh punishments towards her children, including once banning one of her children from his bedroom for seven months because he pranked his younger brother.  The YouTube channel, which began in 2015, ended after seven years. 

Franke's husband, Kevin Franke, has filed for divorce. In early September, a lawyer for Kevin Franke told CBS News that he was representing his client's interests in keeping his children together and in his care and that he could not comment on Ruby Franke's arrest. 

Kevin Franke appeared in court Friday alongside Franke's two eldest children. While speaking from the stand, Franke apologized to her former husband. "You are the love of my life," she said, according to KUTV. "The ending of our marriage is a tragedy."

Franke's parents and brother both filed statements with the court ahead of her sentencing Tuesday, blaming Hildebrandt's influence for her actions. Franke's brother Beau Griffiths said that he had also been enrolled in Hildebrandt's ConneXions program.

"At the continued encouragement of Ms. Hildebrandt, Ruby systematically pushed those around her away, first myself, and then our sisters, parents, and close friends, and then her husband, and finally her own children," Griffiths said in part. "Ruby has clearly been brainwashed. She has been taken advantage of by Ms. Hildebrandt." 

Franke's sisters,  Julie Griffiths Deru  and  Bonnie Hoellein , YouTubers themselves,  shared videos detailing  Franke's separation from the family and stating that they were not aware of her actions. 

Franke's parents, Chad and Jennifer Griffiths, said in their statement to the court that for three years they only had "brief communications" with their daughter, where she "accused us of either things that never happen or she grossly exaggerated the events that did." 

"She was delusional," they said, according to KUTV. "She was so deeply brainwashed we could not recognize her." 

  • Child Abuse

Kerry Breen

Kerry Breen is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.

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COMMENTS

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  26. Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt sentenced to up to 30 years in prison

    Hildebrandt received the same sentence of four consecutive prison terms, KUTV reported, which could again range from one to 15 years each. Like Franke, Hildebrandt's prison time will be determined ...