HARRISBURG, Pa.--The parents of a 9-year-old boy who weighed nearly 17 pounds at the time of his death in Aug. 2014 were sentenced Wednesday in Dauphin County court.
Jarrod Tutko Sr., 39, was sentenced to 21 to 42 years in state prison in the starvation death of his son, Jarrod Tutko Jr.
The boy's mother, 40-year-old Kimberly Tutko was sentenced to 20 to 40 years in state prison.
"This sentence is going put the Tutko parents away in jail for most, if not the rest of their lives," Chief Deputy District Attorney Sean McCormack said.
Jarrod Tutko Jr.'s decomposing body was found on the floor of a bathroom on the second floor of the Tutko's home along the 2100 block of Green Street on Aug. 1, 2014. Officers searched Jarrod's room and found feces covering the walls and floor. Flies were also swarming throughout his room. Investigators said Jarrod Jr. had been dead for nearly a week.
"I think both parents are very selfish. They are focused on themselves," McCormack said. "Very focused on whose fault it is, rather than spending time talking about what it means to have lost their son."
The couple plead guilty in October to several charges including third degree murder, child endangerment and aggravated assault.
While investigating Jarrod Jr.'s death, authorities discovered his sister, 10-year-old Arianna, was also just days away from dying. According to McCormack and Judge John Cherry, she is doing much better.
"Arianna is thriving now from what I understand now from Children and Youth [Services]," McCormack said.
The Tutkos plead guilty to child endangerment and aggravated assault charges related to her condition as well.