The Tutkos, whose trial is scheduled to begin in Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, face criminal homicide and other charges over the death of their son, Jarrod, Jr., 9, a year ago and the abusive treatment of his sister, Arianna, 10.
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Jarrod had a genetic disorder with autism-like symptoms, weighed less than 17lbs, had nearly no body fat and was 42 inches tall.
Both also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and child endangerment related to their 10-year-old disabled daughter.
His parents kept him locked in a third-floor room with no bed or lights, where he was prone to smearing himself and the walls with feces, authorities said.
Kimberly Tutko told the cop she tried to combat the stench with mothballs and bleach, thinking it came from dead mice, but it was futile. According to charging documents, on the night of Jarrod Jr.’s death back in 2014, Jarrod Sr. found his son’s corpse – two days after he last checked on the young boy – but didn’t tell his wife about the death for three days.
‘There’s something wrong with him. They said the Tutkos would not have received a check in August if the boy had died before the first day of the month.
Neither defendant has an agreement with prosecutors on sentencing. Chief Deputy District Attorney Sean McCormack said guidelines call for a term of up to 20 years in prison for the third-degree murder charge. But, he noted, prosecutors don’t believe Tutko meant to kill the boy. Third-degree murder is killing with malice. Kimberly Tutko’s lawyer, Michael Palermo, said his client “took responsibility” for her actions.
Due to her neglect, the doctor said Arianna had wax from her ears that was coming out onto her face, her eyes were matted shut from secretions and dirt, she had thick, filthy scales all over her body, and she looked as if she hadn’t been bathed in a very, very long time, the report states. “You can’t shirk that duty”. She recovered and was removed from the Tutkos along with their four other children.
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The mother said she had not seen the boy for several days before he died.
