Ethan Hauschultz (Photo courtesy Andrea Everett)
MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The family of Ethan Hauschultz wants Timothy Hauschultz’s case resolved with a plea deal, Manitowoc County District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre said in a letter to the court, defending the proposal.
Timothy Hauschultz faces eight counts, including felony murder, in the death of Ethan Hauschultz, 7. Timothy Hauschultz was the boy’s legal guardian when the child was found dead in a snowbank at a town of Newton home in April 2018. Timothy Hauschultz’s son, Damian, was convicted of causing Ethan’s death.
According to court documents, Hauschultz plans to enter an Alford plea on Nov. 10 to two charges: failure to act, and neglecting a child. In an Alford plea, the defendant maintains his innocence but acknowledges the state has enough evidence to gain a conviction.
The plea deal calls for a joint recommendation from the defense and state for “time served” in jail, with the two sides free to argue how long Hauschultz should be on extended supervision. If accepted by the judge, the deal means he wouldn’t have to spend more time behind bars because of the three-plus years he already spent in jail.
Hauschultz was arrested in February 2019, and ordered held on a $100,000 cash bond, which he was unable to post. His case was delayed for several years because of his son’s case. While Damian’s trial and appeals were pending, Damian was considered unavailable for Tim’s trial. Eventually, Tim’s bond was reduced to $75,000, which he posted in May 2022.
This will be the second attempt at a plea deal. In February, Judge Jerilyn Dietz rejected a plea deal — which would have seen Hauschultz convicted of two counts being party to child abuse – intentionally causing harm — because she said it was not in the public interest.
Judge Dietz later removed herself from the case due to an unrelated conflict of interest issue. Calumet County Judge Carey Reed is now presiding on the case.
In a two-sentence letter to the attorneys filed Thursday morning, Judge Reed expressed doubt about the new proposal.
“I have concerns about the proposed plea agreement. Please come to the hearing prepared with an explanation,” the judge wrote.
D.A. LaBre responded late Thursday, explaining her decision to agree to the plea deal.
“The proposed plea agreement was reached in consultation with the crime victims. The State did confer with both victims regarding the case and current plea offer. Both victims expressed a desire to resolve the case by plea agreement, as opposed to proceeding to trial, and were supportive of resolution. The victim was available and prepared to attend the plea hearing on November 10, 2025. I can provide additional information to the Court if requested,” LaBre wrote.
Hauschultz’s attorneys have not filed anything about the proposal as of Friday morning.
Currently, a Feb. 23 trial is scheduled, if the plea deal is not accepted.
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.
Comments