- Authorities say the child was locked in his room and denied food, hot water, toilet paper and light
- Krista and Tyler Schindley were charged with attempted murder, child torture, assault and false imprisonment
- “For obvious reasons, we are not releasing photos of this child,” the prosecutor said
Two Georgia parents have been charged with attempted murder and child molestation after their starving 10-year-old son was caught wandering around their neighborhood looking for a grocery store to beg for food.
Police in Griffin arrested Tyler Schindley, 46, and his wife Krista, 47, after neighbors in the upscale enclave found the emaciated boy on the street on Friday. The child begged the police “please don’t force him to come back.”
The boy was reportedly barefoot, hungry and confused.
Authorities said the child was deliberately starved and weighed only about 36 pounds when discovered – the weight of an average four-year-old.
District Attorney Marie Broder said during a news conference on Tuesday, “This child has simply starved to death and that is tragic.”
Griffin police arrested Tyler and Krista Schindley after neighbors found their emaciated son on the street Friday. Tyler Schindley Krista Schindley
“I firmly believe that if he hadn’t come out of this house, this would be a very different case,” she added.
“This case is just disturbing.” “It’s heartbreaking,” said Broder, who has spent most of her career prosecuting child abuse suspects.
“As a mother, I can’t understand it.” As a person, it’s heartbreaking. We are not releasing photos of this child for obvious reasons, but I’m telling you, the photos are absolutely horrific and anyone with a human heart looking at them should be shaken to the core.”
The parents were accused of locking the child in his bedroom and leaving him alone in the home for “prolonged periods and on multiple occasions, without access to light, food, clothing, or adult interaction and/or help,” according to the court Documents.
The couple are also said to have refused hot water, toilet paper and an outside view. They are believed to have once punched the 10-year-old, causing further injuries.
The abuse is believed to have taken place for at least three years, beginning in May 2020.
According to officials, the boy was one of five siblings living in the home and he was neither the eldest nor the youngest. Authorities did not share information about the condition of the other children, who were all homeschooled, but said the 10-year-old boy appeared to be the only one who starved.
District Attorney Marie Broder, who told the press Tuesday the 10-year-old victim was “starving”
Tyler Schindley volunteered to join local police after his son was found and spoke to investigators. Krista Schindley was subsequently arrested after a separate interview she conducted.
The boy was taken to a local hospital, where he is being treated for malnutrition and a low heart rate. The child also suffered “tooth injuries and disfigurements” as a result of his treatment, which the parents appeared not to treat.
Police officials added that the other four children were placed in the care of the Georgia Child Care Department.
The couple were charged with attempted second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. They are also accused of multiple counts of child abuse, assault and deprivation of liberty.
One of the allegations her parents are facing concerns child cruelty to the four other children who are said to have witnessed their 10-year-old brother’s abuse.
It is believed that Krista was the franchise owner of the Peachtree City True Rest Float Spa and that she and her husband Tyler ran the spa together.
Tyler’s Facebook page also listed him as manager of an Under Armor store in McDonough.
Ethan Washburn, Krista and Tyler Schindley’s eldest son, opened the door to their family home in Griffin, Georgia, and told a reporter, “I’m not too close to the situation right now, I’m just observing the house.” The Schindleys’ Griffin, Georgia home, which is estimated to be worth $447,000, is seen on the property in Griffin where Krista and Tyler Schindley’s 10-year-old son was allegedly kept locked in his room until his weight at The Only 36-pound Krista Schindley (center right) poses with her eldest son Ethan Washburn (center left) at a float spa booth. The owners of the True Rest Spas have since distanced themselves from the Schindleys, saying they are “appalled and shocked” by the arrest
Ethan Washburn, the couple’s eldest child – although he doesn’t share a last name with Tyler Schindley – was at the family home on Tuesday.
He told Fox5 that he has no connection to the ongoing case: “I’m not too close to the situation at the moment, I’m just monitoring the house. I don’t actually have any comment on that,” he said, before confirming that the couple were his parents.
Ethan is listed as a branch manager of the same chain of spas his mother worked for prior to her arrest.
In a Mother’s Day promotion posted on May 1st on the True Rest Float Spa’s Instagram page, Krista Schindley can be seen leading a guest into a spa chamber.
Since her arrest, the owners of True Rest Spa have distanced themselves from Krista, saying they are “appalled and shocked” by the arrests.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the company wrote, “As owners of True REST McDonough and Peachtree, we are appalled and shocked at the news of the Schindleys.” True REST is doing everything it can to ensure the spa is a safe environment for our customers and employees protection. This task force has been replaced. “True REST’s mission remains to provide an accessible floating therapy experience for anyone struggling with pain, stress and insomnia.”
Tyler Schindley in a photo from his Facebook profile. He is charged with attempted second degree murder and attempted first degree murder along with his wife Krista. He is also accused of multiple counts of child abuse, assault and deprivation of liberty. Tyler Schindley seemed to lead an active lifestyle. Here he is seen at a sports competition, jumping over burning coals. Kim Segler, a neighbor of the Schindleys, said she often worried about the children in that home
According to public records, Tyler and Krista Schindley have only been charged with minor traffic offenses so far, including speeding, taking a wrong turn and having an expired license.
The family home has an estimated value of $447,000 in an area where the median home price is $191,000.
The couple’s neighbor Kim Segler told Fox5 that she had previously been worried about the Schindley children.
“The fact that they’re my neighbors … just made me feel bad … like I should have been more considerate,” she said.
The couple are due in court on Monday.
