Arrest warrants for a Georgia mother and father accused of trying to starve their 10-year-old son to death provide detailed accounts of the disturbing living conditions the victim endured.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Tyler and Krista Schindley have been charged with attempted murder, false imprisonment, cruelty to children, and other related charges. Police found the victim, a 10-year-old, alone in a Griffin neighborhood last Friday after he escaped his family home.
Neighbors found the boy as he wandered along Westminster Circle barefoot and hungry, looking for something to eat. He weighed just 36 pounds, police said, which, according to the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC), the average 4-year-old weighs 40 pounds.
Court documents obtained by Fox 5 stated that the suspects were aware of their son’s dental injuries and disfiguration but failed to seek medical treatment for him. The warrants further indicate that the couple subjected the boy to abuse in the presence of other children. Both old and new injuries were reportedly found on the victim.
Prosecutors also claimed that the defendants confined their son within his room for prolonged durations, leaving him without clothes and lighting.
“As a mother, I can’t comprehend it. As a human being, it breaks your heart. We aren’t releasing any photos of this child for obvious reasons, but I will tell you, the photos are absolutely horrible, and anybody with a human heart, who looks at them, should be shaken to their core,” District Attorney Marie Broder said.
Broder added that the details revealed one of the “worst child abuse cases” she has seen.
Neighbors Michael and Kim Seigle said they found the child wandering alone in the neighborhood and subsequently contacted the police. The boy said he escaped his home, didn’t want to go back, and was trying to get to Kroger to get some food.
“We thought he was about six,” Michael Seigler told WSB-TV. “We didn’t know how old he is. The little boy just stayed to himself. They were very quiet people. I say, very private.”
The victim was taken to an area hospital and treated for low heart rate and malnutrition. He’s reportedly stable and recovering.
The Schindlers have four other children who appeared to be OK, according to police. Neighbors, however, said that they would see the children left home alone while their parents took vacations. They added that they have not seen one of the children, a 14-year-old, since January.
The children are now in the custody of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services. Police did not reveal whether the 14-year-old was among the children in DFCS custody.
Prosecuotrs say that the investigation will be lengthy and additional details may not be available for a while. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Krista, left, and Tyler Schindley/Spalding County Sheriff’s Office]
