Timothy, 48, and Tina, 35, were court-appointed guardians for 7-year-old Ethan, but unfortunately, their actions took a tragic turn. Despite welcoming the young boy into their home, their treatment of him was far from loving. It has been revealed that after demanding Ethan to read and memorize Bible passages, they resorted to unimaginable measures when he failed to comply.
Ethan, one of a set of twins, suffered the most severe consequences within the family’s punishment system centered around Bible memorization. Reports surrounding his untimely death indicate that Timothy orchestrated the punishment.
He instructed Ethan to carry a heavy wooden log around their property for hours as a consequence of his failure to memorize the Bible passages. The log weighed approximately forty-four pounds, far exceeding the young boy’s capacity, told NBC News.
While Timothy was responsible for administering the punishment, he assigned his fifteen-year-old son, Damian, to supervise Ethan. Following his father’s orders, Damian would physically assault Ethan, kicking and hitting him whenever he slowed down or struggled with the arduous task.
There are accounts suggesting that Damian went even further, pushing Ethan’s face into the icy ground or rolling the log across his chest to intensify his suffering. During one punishment, Damian instructed Ethan to hide his body in a large pile of snow, leading to his tragic demise from hypothermia due to the extremely low temperatures.
In addition to the harsh environmental conditions, Ethan also endured severe blunt-force trauma to his head, chest, and abdomen. When questioned by the police, Damian denied any involvement but admitted to burying Ethan in the snow as part of his punishment for failing to memorize thirteen Bible verses.
Damian now faces charges of first-degree reckless homicide and six additional charges related to Ethan’s murder. Timothy has been charged with felony murder and five other charges connected to Ethan’s untimely death. Tina, on the other hand, faces charges of failing to prevent bodily harm to a child, among others.
