MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The cash bond set for a teen accused in the death of a 7-year-old relative was reduced to $100,000.
Damian Hauschultz, 16, is charged with first-degree reckless homicide and six other counts for the April 20, 2018 death of Ethan Hauschultz. Ethan Hauschultz was beaten, forced to carry a 44-pound-log, and buried in the snow before he died.
An order was entered Friday reducing the bond from $150,000 cash to $100,000 cash, court records show.
Earlier this month, a judge denied Damian Hauschultz’s request to move the case from adult court to juvenile court. No trial date has been set. He returns to court April 2 for a motions hearing.
Two other relatives are also charged in the case.
Timothy Hauschultz, Damian’s father and the great-uncle of Ethan, faces eight charges, six of which are felonies. He returns to court Feb. 18 for a scheduling conference. No trial date has been set.
McKeever-Hauschultz, Timothy Hauschultz’s wife, is charged with failing to prevent bodily harm and one other charge. She returns to court March 31 for a competency hearing. No trial date has been set.
The complaint says on April 20, 2018, Timothy told his son, Damian Hauschultz, then 15, to make sure 7-year-old Ethan Hauschultz completed his punishment.
That included, according to the complaint, Ethan Hauschultz being required to carry a 44-pound log for two hours around a path in the backyard of their home. Damian said he had to carry wood for not knowing 13 Bible verses to Timothy’s satisfaction. The punishment was one week of carrying wood for two hours per day. Timothy picked out the logs, but Damian had to supervise the punishment for the younger children.
During that time the complaint says Ethan Hauschultz “struggled to carry his log” and Damian did “hit, kick, strike and poke Ethan approximately 100 times.” The complaint goes on to say Damian Hauschultz also stood on Ethan Hauschultz’s “body and head” while he was “face-down in a puddle.”
The complaint also alleges Damian Hauschultz buried Ethan Hauschultz in about “80 pounds of packed snow” where he was left for about 20 to 30 minutes without a coat or boots.
Ethan died of hypothermia, but also had extensive other injuries, including blunt force injuries to his head, chest and abdomen, and a rib fracture, the medical examiner determined, the complaint states.
