Kansas Stepmom Gets 25 Years in Death of Boy Whose Remains Were Fed to Pigs

A Kansas woman was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison for the murder of her 7-year-old stepson, whose remains were fed to pigs, PEOPLE confirms.

Heather Jones, 30, had pleaded guilty to a charge of first-degree murder and two counts of child abuse in the death of Adrian Jones on Oct. 6, according to Anita Eden, clerk supervisor with the Wyandotte County District Court in Kansas.

The boy’s father, Michael Jones, 45, was charged with first-degree murder, child abuse, aggravated battery and aggravated assault. His trial is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2017.

The boy’s remains were found in the family’s pigpen in Kansas City, Kansas, in November 2015.

• Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Police were first called to the rental home in the 5200 block of North 99th Street the day before Thanksgiving for a domestic disturbance call, according to the Kansas City Star. Once there, police discovered that Adrian had been missing for several months and was possibly a murder victim.

The police came back the following day and found human remains in the barn, which were later identified as Adrian’s, the Star reports.

“He was horribly abused, neglected and ultimately killed,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Sheryl Lidtke, according to the Star. “I’m sure his suffering was unbearable.

(Prosecutors did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. Heather’s attorney was not able to speak Monday.)

Lidtke said the boy had been physically and emotionally abused and starved to death, the Star reports.

At the hearing, Heather apologized for Adrian’s death.

“I have to live with this for the rest of my life,” she said, according to the paper.