Rebecca A. Souden, 35, had been accused of causing welts on the boys face and buttocks from beating the boy with a belt on Jan. 16 at her home. A Lancaster County jury convicted Souden of the beating in October after about 30 minutes of deliberation.

(Lancaster County district attorney's office)

A Leola woman was sentenced to one to two years in county prison for beating her 6-year-old son with a belt.

Rebecca A. Souden, 35, had been accused of causing welts on the boy's face and buttocks from beating him on Jan. 16 at her home, according to a news release from the Lancaster County district attorney's office. A Lancaster County jury convicted Souden of the beating in October after about 30 minutes of deliberation, according to the release.

Souden no longer has custody of any of her four children and does not have guardian rights of the 6-year-old victim or another child, according to the release. She lost custody of two other children as a result of separate social services investigations for child abuse, according the release.

During the trial, Souden's attorney unsuccessfully argued that belt beatings were a form of discipline, according to the release.

Souden was also sentenced to three years of probation to follow the county prison term issued by Judge Donald R. Totaro.

Brett Hambright, a spokesman for the district attorney, said the office commends Totaro for ordering prison time, which the district attorney's office felt was appropriate considering Souden's history with the children. Typically the misdemeanor charges of endangering child welfare and misdemeanor assault, on which Souden was convicted, carry a sentence of probation, but prosecutors sought a stiffer sentence because of her child abuse issues.

Souden was immediately ordered to begin serving the prison sentence, according to the release.