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Hocking County couple sentenced to prison in death of 2-year-old

Austin Starkey, left, and Destiny Neel

HOCKING COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) — A Hocking County couple have been handed prison sentences after being indicted for murder in the January death of a 2-year-old girl in Hocking County, per records.

Austin L. Starkey, 25, and Destani D. Neel, 27, of Logan, were indicted by a grand jury in the death of Arianna D. Starkey.

The Hocking County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call placed by Neel on Jan. 8 stating that a two-year-old was not breathing.

Starkey is the father of Arianna, and Neel is his live-in girlfriend.

According to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction, Starkey was sentenced to a 10-15 year period for permitting child abuse and tampering with evidence.

Neel was sentenced to a minimum 20 years in prison for aggravated murder, per ODRC records. Her sentence maximum is for life.