Timothy Hauschultz appears in Manitowoc County court via video conference July 11, 2025. (Image courtesy Manitowoc County courts/Zoom)
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A Feb. 2 trial date was scheduled Friday for Timothy Hauschultz, the man charged with ordering the punishment which allegedly led to the 2018 death of Ethan Hauschultz. Before then, however, previous rulings may be reviewed by the new judge handling the case.
Timothy Hauschultz faces eight counts, including felony murder, in the death of 7-year-old Ethan, his great-nephew. Timothy Hauschultz was the boy’s legal guardian when the child was found dead in a snowbank at a town of Newton home. Timothy Hauschultz’s son, Damian, was convicted of causing Ethan’s death.
While a trial date was set, multiple decisions made by the previous judge in the case may have to be reviewed, attorneys said Friday.
The case had been in the court of Manitowoc County Judge Jerilyn Dietz. However, after it was discovered she had acted as a guardian at litem for witnesses in the case — even though she had no recollection of doing so — she removed herself from the case in May.
The case is now assigned to Calumet County Judge Carey Reed, who held his first hearing on it Friday.
In court Friday, both prosecutors and defense attorneys said they are in discussions about what rulings Judge Dietz made that may need to be reviewed, in light of her conflict. The specific details of which decisions are in question were not revealed in court, however. A Nov. 10 hearing will address those issues.
According to the criminal complaint, on April 20, 2018, Timothy told his son, Damian Hauschultz, then 14, to make sure Ethan completed his punishment.
That included, according to the complaint, Ethan Hauschultz being required to carry the 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.
Neither Timothy Hauschultz, nor his wife, Tina McKeever-Hauschultz, was home when Ethan died.
Damian Hauschultz, now 21, pleaded guilty to reckless homicide and was sentenced to 20 years in prison for Ethan’s death.
Tina McKeever-Hauschultz served a five-year prison term for her role in the events leading up to and failing to prevent Ethan’s death. She was released to extended supervision last year.
The case was delayed for several years while Damian Hauschultz’s trial and appeals worked their way through the court system. As those appeals have all been rejected, he is now available to testify at Timothy Hauschultz’s case.
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