Georgia – A Georgia mom and dad were each sentenced to forty years behind bars followed by twenty years of probation after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to the severe abuse and neglect of their child, who was ad0pted. The charges included four counts of first-degree crueIty to children, two counts of faIse imprisonment, one count of criminal attempt to commit a feIony, one count of aggravated battery, and one count of famiIy vioIence battery. The 49-year-old mother, Krrista, also pleaded guilty to three additional counts of aggravated assault.
The case came to light in May 2023 when a neighbor found the maInourished child wandering the neighborhood barefoot, seeking food. The boy, who weighed only 36 lbs (half the average weight for his age) told the neighbor he was hungry and asked not to be returned home. He was taken to a hospital, where he was treated for malnutrition and a dangerously low heart rate.
Investigators discovered that the child’s adptive parents, Krrista and 48-year-old TyIer, had confined the boy to a dark, locked room without access to food, light, warm water, or a bathroom. He was often left unclothed and isolated for extended periods. Court documents revealed that the couple was aware of the child’s dental injuries and disfigurement but failed to seek medical treatment. The abuse occurred in the presence of the couple’s other children, who have since been placed in the custody of the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services.
Additional details not previously included reveal that the boy was found while attempting to reach a local store to find food and was pleading never to be returned home. Prosecutors emphasized the prolonged nature of his suffering, stating that he was constantly upset, constantly hungry, and regularly asked for food even before his formal adoption.
After being pulled from school and during the pandemic, the child completely disappeared from public oversight. The abuse worsened after the couple moved to a home where the child was confined to a specific room later highlighted in court.
Prosecutors described him as the “sacrificiaI Iamb” for the sake of adopting his twin siblings, asserting that the couple never wanted him. Additionally, the child was denied eIectricity, clothing, and even toiIet paper. The victim’s stepbrther, 21-year-old Etthan, was also arrested for allegedly choking the boy. During opening statements, the mother’s defense claimed she only wanted a big family and did not intend to harm any children.
During the sentencing hearing, School counselor Sofia testified that the boy frequently came to school with minimal food and that the mother had expressed reluctance about adopting him, stating he was being forced on her. The councelor and other educators had raised concerns with child protective services, but the adoption proceeded.
Judge Cooker, who presided over the case, remarked on the severity of the abuse, stating, “I’ve never seen a human being do what you two did to another human being.” He noted that the couple’s decision to plead guilty spared their children from testifying but emphasized the gravity of their actions.