Half-brother of 10-year-old who weighed 36 pounds found wandering in Griffin also arrested

GRIFFIN, Ga. — The half-brother of a 10-year-old boy nearly starved to death by his parents in Griffin has also been arrested in connection to the case.

The Griffin Police Department began its investigation into a child abuse case on May 16.

Police said they were called to Westminster Circle on May 12 about a lost child walking down the street.

Officers arrested the boy’s parents, Tyler and Krista Schindley after the boy was found wandering the neighborhood, searching for food.

Neighbors thought the child looked very small and thin and brought him inside. When police arrived, the boy told him he was trying to go to Kroger to buy food and begged that they not “make me go back.”

“This child was, simply put, being starved to death, and it is tragic,” District Attorney Marie Broder said. “I truly believe that if he had not gotten out of that home, this would be a very different case.”

The child was hospitalized and his current condition has not been released.

On Monday, Ethan Washburn, 19, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault based on his alleged actions related to the child abuse case. Washburn is Krista Schindley’s biological son and lives in Tennessee.

It’s unclear when Washburn last had contact with the child.

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Authorities said there were other children in the home and they are currently with the Department of Family and Children’s Services. Police said the other children, who were homeschooled, appeared to be OK.

Police also said a 19-year-old boy who is the biological son of Tyler Schindley is also in good health and living with family.

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Channel 2′s Veronica Griffin talked to a neighbor who said his granddaughters often played with the boy’s sisters.

“We thought he was about six,” Michael Seigler said. “We didn’t know how old he is. The little boy just stayed to himself. They were very quiet people. I say, very private.”

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The couple has been charged with criminal attempts to commit a felony, cruelty to children, false imprisonment, and simple battery.

The pair were scheduled to be in court Monday afternoon but didn’t have legal representation.

The judge pushed the case to June 12.

Officials said this remains an active and ongoing investigation.

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