MANITOWOC COUNTY, Wisc. – A married couple and their teen son were arrested in the death of a 7-year-old boy who was beaten and buried in the snow for not memorizing Bible verses.
Timothy Hauschultz and Tina McKeever-Hauschultz, along with 15-year-old Damian Hauschultz, appeared before a Manitowoc County (Wisc.) judge on Monday.
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All three have been charged in the death last year of Ethan Hauschultz.
WBAY reports investigators say Ethan was beaten, kicked and shoved to the ground repeatedly for over 90 minutes on April 20, Damian allegedly rolled a heavy log across Ethan's chest and stood on the boy's head while he was face-down in a puddle.
According to the criminal complaint, Timothy Hauschultz, who was not the father of Ethan or his twin brother and sister, would punish the children for not knowing their Bible verses by making them walk laps around a yard while carrying a 44-pound log. The children were allowed 5-second breaks after each lap.
Damian became angry after Ethan and the younger children dropped the logs every five minutes. After beating Ethan, the teen buried him under 80 pounds of snow and ice.
Detectives say Damian admitted to hitting Ethan 100 times before burying him in the snow.
The teenager said Ethan and his siblings took the fun out of his life, and that things had become "boring" and "prison-like" when they came to live with the family.
Timothy and Tina brought Ethan to the hospital, where he died from hypothermia and blunt force injuries to his head, chest and abdomen.
Damian Hauschultz is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, physical abuse of a child intentionally causing bodily harm, and substantial battery.
Timothy was charged with party to the crimes of felony murder, along with other crimes that led to Ethan's death.
Tina was charged with being party to the crimes of contributing to the deliquency of a child resulting in death and failing to act.