[bhahn]

Just speculation, but they may have children, and if so, prosecutors may have wanted to keep at least one parent out of jail.

[yarcob]

It would be nice if prosecutors really were that compassionate. I've read that lots of kids end up in foster care because their parents go to jail. But maybe that only happens to poor people.

An alternative would be to have criminal parents serve time consecutively -- that way noone gets away, and the children would not have to be taken away.