BARTLETT, Tenn. — Police released new information on Tuesday afternoon about a 14-year-old boy who died of starvation and was weighing just 60 pounds when police found him.
His death led to the indictment of several adults living in the Bartlett home. The autopsy gives us more insight to what lead to this child’s death. And it provided more information about his sister, who was also harmed.
WREG first told you Bartlett police found a 14-year-old boy dead in January 2020 in a house on Skylight drive.
According to the autopsy report, the mother said he had been complaining of stomach pain, and he vomited and would not eat.
In our earlier reporting, WREG uncovered the boy had been forced to live in the family’s garage. But, since it was near-freezing outside, the mother apparently let him sleep on the couch in the living room.
That’s where he was found dead the next morning and was only weighing 60 pounds. Detectives say they immediately searched the home. That’s when they entered the garage and found out the teen had been living in a nook, which smelled of urine and could be locked from the outside.
The mother told police her son lived in the garage for inappropriate behavior.
Eight adults living in the home were recently indicted on first degree murder. One of those adults has died.
There were 10 kids total living in the home, and we found out the boy’s sister also lived with him in the garage.
Police say she was malnourished and taken to the hospital for further treatment. She’s doing okay.
