MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Ethan Hauschultz died from hypothermia. That was the conclusion of the Milwaukee County medical examiner.
The boy’s foster father, Timothy Hauschultz, is on trial in connection with the 2018 death.
Dr. Wieslawa Tlomak testified that the 7-year-old weighed 62 pounds at the time of his death and was 56 inches tall. She noted he was a well developed, nourished child.
In conducting her autopsy and as the jury saw in diagrams, Ethan had a number of bruises and cuts on his body, at the time of his death, consistent with testimony that Damian Hauschultz kicked and hit Ethan on the day he died.
On Friday the jury also heard from Ethan’s older sister.
The now-16-year-old told the court about living in the Hauschultz home. She said rules, like not lying, staying out of trouble in school, and remembering Bible verses were on the list that needed to be followed. If rules were broken, Timothy handed out punishments. Punishments included forgoing normal meals and being fed Malt-O-Meal while standing, as everyone else was allowed to sit.
Carrying wood around the track in the backyard was another common punishment, usually for the boys in the house. The teen said it was Timothy Hauschultz who decided how long the kids had to carry wood and the size of the log.
She recalled Timothy would yell at the kids if they dropped their logs, telling them to keep going. And it was Timothy who would tell them when it was time to stop.
The teen clarified a statement she made to investigators, at the time of her brother’s death, when she said she felt safe in the Hauschultz home.
She testified she now realizes the things being done routinely in house that she thought were safe as an 8-year-old weren’t actually safe.
