GRIFFIN, Ga. — A Griffin couple who were standing trial after being accused of trying to starve a child to death have pleaded guilty.
Tyler and Krista Schindley pleaded guilty to all of the charges against them, including cruelty to children, false imprisonment and more.
They were sentenced to 40 years in prison followed by 20 years of probation.
Opening statements in the trial were delivered on Wednesday and witnesses were expected to start being called on Thursday, but the couple’s change of pleas stopped the trial.
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Channel 2’s Tom Regan was in the courtroom as friends and family members, including one of their older children, delivered victim impact statements.
Evan Schindley, then just 10 years old, was found wandering the neighborhood looking for food in 2023. He weighed just 36 pounds and had lost 15 teeth because of a lack of dental care.
Before being sentenced, both Tyler and Krista Schindley apologized for what they did to their son.
“I would like to apologize to all of our children. I know the older children have family around them and love them, and I’m thankful for that,” Krista Schindley said tearfully.
“I definitely want to apologize to all my family and everyone that I have associated with this, that have had to go through this,” Tyler Schindley said.
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Prosecutor Kaitlyn Leonard said that in all her years of trying cases, she has never seen any child treated worse than how the Schindleys treated their son.
“Never have I seen a case that showed the depth of human depravity like this one,” Leonard said.
Judge Benjamin Coker had the final word, scolding them for the abuse and neglect.
“When Evan ran away from your residence, Mrs. Schindley, and you were stopped by police, and you never even asked if Evan is okay,” Judge Coker said.
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