KATHLEEN GENTRY TO BE FREED.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LAKE LOS ANGELES - Kathleen Gentry, convicted with her husband of fatally starving their severely handicapped teen-age daughter, has completed her prison sentence and will be released Saturday.

Gentry, 48, who uses a wheelchair and has extremely limited vision because of a congenital disease, will be picked up by a friend and driven home. But her return will be very low-key, supporters said Thursday.

``She needs an opportunity to get her legs underneath her, her sea legs, and readjust. The last thing she needs is a welcome-home party,'' said Mary Ellen Spalding, a friend. ``When you have been institutionalized for even a short period of time, it takes awhile to readjust.''

Gentry and her husband, Michael, 57, were convicted in June 2000 of involuntary manslaughter, felony child abuse and conspiracy to commit child abuse in the death of their daughter, Lindsay, who suffered a more severe form of the disease inflicting her mother.

Kathleen Gentry was sentenced to four years in prison, and Michael Gentry to six years.

The couples appeal of their convictions is still pending, said Kathleen Gentry's attorney, Lyle Middleton. The appeal will go forward to clear her name, Middleton said.

Kathleen Gentry will be released Saturday from the Central California Women's Facility at Chowchilla after having served more than half her sentence, Department of Corrections officials said.

``Generally speaking, you are given time credit for time served in jail and during the court hearing and also if you have good conduct,'' said Margot Bach, a department spokeswoman. ``She had 492 days when she came in.''

Spalding said Kathleen Gentry plans to live with a couple in the Antelope Valley.

``They are licensed caregivers, personal friends. They will be taking care of her for a couple of months,'' Spalding said.

``Justice was not served in this case, and this district attorney's nonsense has cost California taxpayers a tremendous amount of money. Anyone who has a special-needs child should take note of what they have done to this family,'' Spalding said.

Prosecutors said Lindsay had been physically and psychologically abused throughout her life, but neither social workers nor her doctors intervened to help her.

When Lindsay died in February 1996 at age 15, she stood 4 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 44 pounds. An autopsy determined she died of pneumonia and malnutrition.

The couple contended their daughter died of the congenital wasting disease with which she was born. The Gentrys were originally charged with murder, but a mistrial was declared when a different jury deadlocked in May 1999.