URBANA, Ohio -- A man and woman who claimed their daughter had cancer in order to acquire money were sentenced Wednesday.

The child's grandmother was cleared earlier in the day by a jury of any involvement in the faked cancer scheme by her daughter and son-in-law.

Teresa Milbrandt and her husband, Robert (pictured, left), were sentenced on charges related to the scam. Teresa Milbrandt received 6 1/2 years in prison. Robert Milbrandt received 4 years and 11 months in jail.

Teresa Milbrandt said in court that she wanted to apologize to three groups of people -- the community, her family and her daughter.

"How could I have done this to you?" Teresa Milbrandt said in reference to her daughter. "Words cannot possibly express what I feel like for deceiving you about your illness."

Teresa Milbrandt faced as much as 14 1/2 years in prison and a $35,000 fine after pleading guilty last month to felony charges of endangering children, grand theft and eight counts of theft.

Robert Milbrandt pleaded guilty to one felony count of endangering children. He also entered a plea to a felony theft charge in which he did not admit guilt but acknowledged prosecutors had enough evidence to convict him. He faced as much as six years in jail and a $12,500 fine.

A Champaign County Common Pleas Court jury early Wednesday morning found the child's grandmother, Mary Russell, innocent on two counts of theft by deception and one count of attempted theft.

Russell declined to comment after the verdict.

Teresa Milbrandt, who pleaded guilty to pretending her 7-year-old daughter had leukemia and collected thousands of dollars in donations, testified Tuesday that her mother had no role in the scheme.

"I think it's apparent Teresa fell on her sword for her mother," Prosecutor Nick Selvaggio said.

Russell had been accused of using the story about Hannah Milbrandt's leukemia to collect money to support a gambling habit. She acknowledged from the stand that she did play bingo, which she blamed for foreclosure and bankruptcy proceedings against her and her husband.

Images Of Hanna Milbrandt

"There's no such thing as a win in a case like this and I'm just glad it's over at least in this phase," said Russell's attorney, Ronald Tompkins. "Perhaps maybe the family can do some healing along the way with regard to the issues that were underlying the criminality (of the Milbrandts' conduct)."

Russell testified on her own behalf and said she did not know her daughter was lying about the girl's illness, which was discovered to be a hoax in December 2002.

Police said the Milbrandts fooled 65 people and businesses into giving them money to help them treat Hannah. It's estimated they collected about $31,000.

Police said Teresa Milbrandt (pictured, right) shaved her daughter's hair, gave her sleeping pills to make it appear she was receiving chemotherapy, made her wear a protective mask and put her in counseling to prepare for death.

Robert Milbrandt said his wife handled all doctor visits and medical bills and that he believed her when she said their daughter had cancer.