Bail has been set for a Wisconsin couple and their teenage son in connection with the death of a 7-year-old boy who allegedly was beaten, forced to carry a heavy log and buried alive in what police call “a coffin of snow” for not memorizing 13 Bible verses.
Timothy and Tina Hauschultz of Manitowoc, Wisc., and their 15-year-old son, Damian, were charged last week in connection with the Apr. 18 death of Ethan Hauschultz.
A news release from the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office describes one particularly grisly type of punishment. Deputies say that Timothy Hauschultz, 48, ordered Ethan, who weighed 60 pounds at the time, to carry a 45-pound log around as punishment for not memorizing the Bible verses. His son supervised these learning sessions.
The teen boy told detectives he struck Ethan 100 times, sometimes with a sick or a belt. He also rolled the heavy log over Ethan’s chest, stood on his body and head when Ethan was face-down in a puddle. Additionally, he packed the boy under about 80 pounds of snow for varying periods of 20 to 30 minutes.
Wisconsin police say that Ethan died from hypothermia and blunt force injuries to his head, abdomen and chest.
Ethan and his two siblings were put in the Hauschultzes’ care in 2017.
Damian Hauschultz is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, physical abuse of a child intentionally causing bodily harm, and substantial battery with a total bail of $150,000.
Timothy Hauschultz is charged with party to the crimes of felony murder, intent to contribute to the delinquency of a child resulting in death, physical abuse of a child intentionally causing bodily harm, and misdemeanor battery. A judge set bond at $100,000 in his case.
Ms. Hauschultz, 35, is charged with being party to the crimes of contributing to the delinquency of a child resulting in death and failing to act to prevent bodily harm to a child. Bail was set for her at $75,000.
