After seven-year-old Ethan Hauschultz was punished so severely for not memorizing 13 Bible verses to the satisfaction of his court-appointed guardians that he died, both his guardians, as well as a 15-year-old who lived in the home, have been arrested.
15-year-old boy and two court-appointed guardians were arrested today for the brutal death of 7-year-old Ethan Hauschultz in Manitowoc County last April https://t.co/hgawPzTVHr
— WBAY-TV 2 (@WBAY) February 1, 2019
A local Fox affiliate in Manitowoc County reports:
‘Timothy Hauschultz and Tina Hauschultz were the court-appointed guardians for Ethan Hauschultz and two of his siblings. The complaint does not indicate if or how they are related.
7 year-old Ethan Hauschultz died under suspicious circumstances on April 20th, 2018. Now more than 9 months later, the Manitowoc Co. Sheriff’s Office arrested three people. The details of what the suspects allegedly did to this poor child are gut-wrenching https://t.co/DjuKBbjMSB
— Alexandra Burnley (@Alexandratweets) February 1, 2019
Ethan was punished on a cold day by being forced to carry a log nearly as big as he was in the snow without proper clothing to protect him from the cold. As he walked, he was beaten and kicked, held down in the snow face down, and later died of hypothermia.
‘As Ethan struggled to carry the log, Damian allegedly hit, kick, struck and poked Ethan about 100 times – sometimes using a belt or a stick. Damian rolled the heavy log across Ethan’s chest, stood on him while Ethan was face down in a puddle, and then burying him in a snowbank for more than 20 minutes without a coat or boots on…Damian also repeatedly struck Ethan’s twin, who was also ordered to undergo the punishment, according to the complaint.’
"Ethan was unresponsive, had an extremely low body temperature, and had multiple bruises and injuries on his body,” the sheriff's office said in a release. https://t.co/bxb8n9lOo0
— Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter (@htrnews) February 1, 2019
The 15-year-old will be treated as an adult according to the Wisconsin law. He denies having inflicted any of the injuries or the exposure that would have caused Ethan’s deaths.
‘Ethan died of hypothermia, but also had extensive other injuries, including blunt force injuries to his head, chest and abdomen, and a rib fracture, the medical examiner determined, the complaint states.’
The investigation into the death of 7-year-old Ethan Hauschultz is ongoing https://t.co/p1Avu1k2jb
— WOMT Radio (@womtam) October 24, 2018
Timothy Hauschultz, 48, was charged with murder and five other crimes. His wife, Tina McKeever-Hauschultz, 35, is charged with failing to prevent the abuse. 15-year-old Damien Hauschultz is charged with reckless homicide as well as six other charges.
‘In an interview with police, Damian stated he “didn’t do anything that would have hurt” Ethan. He estimated he hit Ethan 100 times. He also admitted to covering Ethan in snow, but knew Ethan had to breathe. He described Ethan as being covered “in his own little coffin of snow,” according to the complaint. The punishment was directed to be carried out by his father, Timothy, Damian said.’
Featured image via Flickr by Brian Anderson under a Creative Commons license
