Mom left autistic 4-year-old dead on floor for more than 24 hours, sent photo of boy to relative before calling 911

A Pennsylvania parent is accused of severely neglecting her autistic 4-year-old son, whom she near dormant connected the level of their location for much than 24 hours earlier calling 911 and telling the dispatcher that performing CPR seemed inappropriate, according to police.

Amie Marie Ruleman was taken into custody this week and charged with 1 number of felony endangering the payment of a kid successful transportation with her son's death, authorities announced.

Officers with the Waynesboro Police Department responded to the location successful the 500 artifact of Pratt Court soon aft 1 p.m. April 7 regarding a study of an unresponsive child, Penn Live reported. Ruleman told the dispatcher she had recovered her lad kneeling connected the level astatine astir 11 a.m. with his manus resting connected a chair. She said she assumed the lad was sleeping, but erstwhile she checked connected him astir an hr later, helium was unconscious and not breathing.

Investigators who responded to the location pronounced the kid dormant astatine the scene, noting that helium appeared to person been deceased for immoderate time, according to Harrisburg ABC affiliate WHTM.

Ruleman initially told investigators her lad had been sick since Easter Sunday, suffering from tummy issues and vomiting, and said she gave him Tylenol the greeting helium died. She besides said the boy, who had autism and was nonverbal, had nary different known wellness conditions.

But arsenic the probe unfolded, that timeline began to shift.

Ruleman reportedly revised her statement, telling investigators she saw her lad kneeling connected the level with his limb resting connected a seat astir 4 a.m. and went backmost to furniture alternatively of checking connected him. Hours later, she woke again and recovered him successful the aforesaid position, astatine 1 constituent taking a photograph and sending it to a household subordinate and past spending much than an hr successful the bath earlier attempting to aftermath him.

Only aft she recovered him unresponsive and acold to the interaction did she telephone 911.

Investigators accidental aesculapian grounds contradicted her account. The Franklin County coroner determined the lad had apt been dormant for much than 24 hours — acold longer than Ruleman claimed — and noted signs of malnourishment, with the kid weighing astir 25 pounds, good beneath the 35-pound mean for his age, according to a report from Lancaster NBC affiliate WGAL.

Authorities besides reportedly documented troubling conditions wrong the home. Investigators described the residence arsenic being successful disarray, with cause paraphernalia disposable and successful areas the kid could person accessed.

Witness accounts added to concerns astir the boy's information earlier his death. A person who visited the location connected Easter Sunday told constabulary the kid appeared visibly sick and urged Ruleman to question aesculapian care, but she did not instrumentality him to a hospital, according to York Fox affiliate WPMT.

During interviews, Ruleman allegedly admitted she had missed astatine slightest 5 doc appointments for her lad implicit the past 2 years — contempt seeking aesculapian attraction and medicine medications for herself. She besides reportedly had nary mentation for failing to instrumentality him.

Ruleman further claimed her son's fare consisted astir wholly of chips, chickenhearted nuggets, and mini pancakes, adding that helium often ate his ain clothing.

"Based connected the grounds gathered, including the child's carnal condition, the inconsistencies successful the timeline provided by Amie Ruleman, the beingness of controlled substances and cause paraphernalia wrong the residence, and Ruleman's ain admissions regarding her nonaccomplishment to question aesculapian attraction for her son, determination is capable probable origin to judge that Ruleman's actions and neglect contributed to the information of her child," prosecutors wrote successful charging documents.

An authoritative origin of decease for the unfortunate volition beryllium determined pursuing an autopsy scheduled for this week.

Ruleman is presently being held astatine the Franklin County Prison successful lieu of $1 cardinal bond. She is scheduled to look successful tribunal for a preliminary proceeding connected April 21.