Lisa Gutenberger, left, and Gabriel Gutenberger (WBAY).
A Wisconsin mother and father are headed to prison for forcing their son to do strenuous outdoor chores and taking away his food as a form of punishment.
Gabriel Gutenberger, 43, and Lisa Gutenberger, 45, were sentenced Friday to three years behind bars followed by five years of probation, court records say. The Gutenbergers pleaded guilty in April to chronic neglect of a child and causing mental harm to a child. As part of the plea deal, charges of physical abuse of a child and false imprisonment were dismissed but “read in,” meaning they were considered at sentencing.
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Child Protective Services began investigating the Gutenbergers in June 2020, according to criminal complaints obtained by Law&Crime. The agency was reportedly investigating alleged abuse of their son, then 15, and daughter, then 13, at the family home in Shawano County. When interviewed by CPS, the son became emotional and told investigators of the litany of abuse he was subjected to, including being forced to cut the lawn by hand and weeding and chopping wood, per the complaint. His parents gave him little water as he completed these tasks.
When he did something as trivial as bending his knees while picking up weeds, his father beat him with a belt or forced him to run around the driveway more than 15 times, the complaint said. He also was required to sleep on the floor next to his bed and was not allowed to eat if he got in trouble. His parents kept a camera in his room to make sure he didn”t get up on the bed, according to the complaint.
“I was sneaking food from being so hungry,” the boy told investigators.
Investigators noted the boy was “skin and bones” and doctors confirmed he was malnourished and underweight.
The daughter did not speak with investigators because she was fearful of her parents’ retribution. She said any punishments were levied because sins were committed.
Lisa Gutenberger’s adult son Dade Marthaler, now 23, also was charged in the case. He pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors, including obstructing an officer for reportedly trying to hide one of the cameras in the home.
