PITTSBURGH -- Two Pittsburgh mothers who went to a happy hour and left five of their children home alone where they died in a fire were sentenced Thursday to one to two years in jail.

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Shakita Mangham and Fuhara Love, both 26, were also given five years' probation by the judge. They pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter charges earlier this year.

"They had to be punished for what happened," said Love's father, Futual. "But of course, we don't want to lose them. We don't want them to go to jail. But they could have been given a lot more time. I think the judge did well."

On June 12, 2007, three of Mangham's children and two of Love's -- all between the ages of 3 and 7 -- were killed in the house fire on Winslow Street in Larimer.

Police said the mothers left the children at home in the care of two 8-year-olds while they went to a local bar.

Two of the younger kids were playing with matches, sparking the fire, authorities said.

"All these children dead. There's no question these two ladies are responsible for it," said defense attorney Jim Ecker. "There's no question the two ladies accepted their responsibility, and there's no question the judge felt they should be punished."

Initially, investigators said the two lied, saying they left the kids in the care of a baby sitter.

Mangham said she gave that story because she didn't want to be arrested right away and be forced to make funeral arrangements behind bars.

Killed were Daekia Holyfield, 7, Cedano Holyfield, 4, Dezekiah Holyfield, 3, Azequel Rankin, 5, and Andre Rankin, 6. The 8-year-olds escaped and survived.

Love told the judge that she was about to graduate from college with a criminal justice degree, and that the fire had changed her life forever.

Mangham told the judge she is sorry and her life is forever changed.

Several witnesses testified for the good character of Love and Mangham at the sentencing hearing.

"This was not an intentional act, so I was very, very relieved to know they won't be gone for 30 or 40 years," said Roslyn Davis, a relative.

Mangham and Love originally faced more charges, including recklessly endangering another person, endangering the welfare of a child and making false reports to police. Prosecutors dropped the other charges when they entered the no contest plea.

"The judge imposed the least possible sentence he could give them, and we know they had to be punished for what happened," Ecker said.