Last fall and winter, Scott Scherer and Melanie Hardrath had a paricular regimen they followed for each Green Bay Packers game: get up, shower, and head to Potawatomi Bingo Casino for six hours or more.
Hardrath and her live-in boyfriend (what a surprise) put Hardrath’s 7-year old son in his room and deadbolted him in, leaving the boy a loaf of bread and some peanut butter and jelly. They also left him a bucket to use as a toilet. The couple made the boy empty it and clean it out when they returned home from partying all day.
Police found out about the disgusting couple in January. The couple pleaded guilty to a felony charge of false imprisonment and a misdemeanor charge of child neglect. Each was sentenced last week to more than six months in the Milwaukee County House of Correction.
According to the Journal/Sentinel:
”Circuit Judge Jeffrey Wagner called the treatment "abhorrent" and scolded the couple for leaving the boy, who is now 8 and living with other relatives, alone, when fire or illness could have left him stranded and badly in need of parental help.
"They're supposed to be available to (children) to nurture them," Wagner said, "not treating a child like that as an animal."
Wagner sentenced Hardrath to seven months and Scherer to nine months, followed by four months' probation each. He also ordered the couple not to be in each other's company when the boy is present.”Wagner sent Scherer directly to the House of Correction. Hardrath began serving her House of Correction sentence Friday.
Hardrath’s son is alive. Both Hardrath and her live-in boyfriend are now in jail.
But wait. We’re not supposed to send parents or caregivers to jail who leave children unattended in a sweltering hot vehicle who then die?
DON’T WANT A BIG INCREASE IN YOUR SCHOOL TAXES? CONTACT FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NOW.
