Freeborn County District Court Judge Steve Schwab on Tuesday waived the second 60-day jail stint for Brianna Broitzman and Ashton Larson, the two young women convicted of abusing residents at Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea in 2008.

Schwab said both young women have been compliant with their conditions of probation and appear to be on the right track.

He reviewed the motions from the defendants and reports from probation officer Andrea Strom regarding each element of their sentence.

He also asked each a single question during the hearing: “Do you now understand that what you did was wrong?”

Broitzman answered, “Yes I do, very much.”

Larson answered, “Without a doubt.”

In 2010, Schwab sentenced Broitzman and Larson, both 21, to a staggered 180-day jail sentence after each being convicted of three counts of disorderly conduct by a caregiver. Each count represented a different victim at the nursing home.

The abuse reportedly took place at Good Samaritan from January through May 2008.

Under the sentence, both were required to serve a 60-day jail term immediately, and then a second and third 60-day jail term would come at later dates. Before the second and third stints, Broitzman and Larson would have the chance to ask to waive the terms.

Schwab said the purpose of a staggered sentence is for rehabilitation and to be an incentive for defendants “to turn their lives around.”

Broitzman’s lawyer, Larry Maus, said his client “has a new changed lifestyle and takes this matter very seriously.”

She has completed all 24 days of her required Sentence to Service time, has obeyed the law, undergone a psychological assessment and has had one-on-one counseling sessions, he said.

Broitzman has also had no direct or indirect contact with vulnerable adults, has obtained full-time employment at a hotel, has written a letter of apology to the families of the victims in her case and redrafted that letter on four occasions. She has completed a one-on-one education session with ElderCare Rights of Minnesota.

When she was in jail, she attended a Bible study, participated in a House of Healing program and received counseling.

Since she was released from jail, she has volunteered at Youth for Christ.

“I’ve worked very hard to get where I’m at right now, and I just want to keep moving forward,” Broitzman said.

Larson’s lawyer, Evan Larson, echoed similar statements for his client.

“The reality is she has in fact … met each and every condition that has been outlined for her,” he said.

He said what has happened is going to be “front and center” for the rest of his client’s life.

“It’s had a significant impact on her,” Evan Larson said. “It will never go away; it will never be resolved.”

He said Ashton Larson met the conditions not only because she was ordered to do so by the court, but because she knows they are also good for her.

“I understand what I did was wrong,” she said, noting how hard she is working to fix her mistakes. “I can’t say sorry enough.”

Schwab said Larson, specifically, has completed 19 days of her Sentence to Service time — which is ahead of schedule — has obeyed the law, obtained a pscyhological assessment, attends therapy sessions and has had no contact with vulnerable adults.

She is also employed, has participated in one-on-one education with ElderCare Rights Alliance and has written multiple drafts of an apology letter to the victims’ families.

Schwab said if the victims’ families want to have a face-to-face meeting with Broitzman and Larson, they can request to do so.

The apology letters are expected to be mailed out in the next few days.

Schwab warned Broitzman and Larson to keep following through with their conditions as they still have the possibility of serving another 60 days in jail — the final jail stint — later in the year.

About 10 family members of victims were in attendance to hear the outcome.