Kugler Sentenced: "I am sorry it ever happened."
By: Caroline Tucker
Updated: January 22, 2013
It was sentencing day for the Rochester mother accused of setting a house that killed four of her children.
Bobbie Kugler will spend the next 7-to-15-years behind bars.
She pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter, assault, and arson charges.
She took a plea deal that prevented a possible sentence of life in prison.
The deadly house fire happened last February on Grape Street in Rochester.
Four of her children: Greg Kugler, Kaiden Kugler, Kandee Kugler, and Gage Reavey all died in the fire.
"My family is ripped to shreds. We've lost four grandkids, my daughter has never so much as had a parking ticket. So my family is all over the place, we don't know what to do," said Candy Reavey, Kugler's mother, who walked out of the court angered.
She said she felt that the Judge was cold to her daughter who apologized for her actions before the court.
During sentencing, Kugler said she loved her family and she did not mean for any of this to happen.
"The hardest part is knowing that I am never going to see them [my children] again," Kugler said.
She went on and said, "I am going to have to serve life because my four kids are gone."
She also apologized to the two teens who were hurt in the fire.
Waltquaries Evans and Giovanni Delorm both appeared in court with their families.
They showed their scars to the judge but did not speak.
Their mothers told the court that they wanted to see a longer sentence for Kugler.
Firefighters who put out the fire also showed up in court.
The Rochester Fire Department said they wanted to serve as voices for the children killed.
"Last February this community suffered a tragic loss of four of our young citizens. The healing process for every individual varies from person to person. We just hope today the process of healing will continue for all of those people, not only for the Rochester Fire Department, but for the greater Rochester community for its loss," said Lt. Ted Kuppinger, spokesperson for the Rochester Fire Department.
In December, Kugler told the court she was drunk and had taken anxiety pills when she lit a photograph on fire and set it on a dresser in her bedroom.
That fire sparked a much larger one that spread quickly.
Kugler and her infant were able to escape.
Her friend, James Austin was also injured in the fire.
Judge Doug Randall told Kugler in court that her self-indulgent behavior led to the tragedy.
He said, "There is no sentence that I could ever impose that is more sever than the one you have ever imposed on yourself and your children."
