Lisa Gutenberger, left, and Gabriel Gutenberger (WBAY).
A mother and father from Wisconsin have been sentenced to prison for punishing their son with rigorous outdoor chores and depriving him of food.
Gabriel Gutenberger, aged 43, and Lisa Gutenberger, 45, received a three-year prison sentence followed by five years of probation, according to court records. In April, the Gutenberger parents admitted guilt to the charges of persistent neglect and causing mental harm to a child. The plea agreement led to the dismissal of charges related to physical abuse and false imprisonment, though these were considered during sentencing.
The investigation by Child Protective Services into the family’s actions started in June 2020, as detailed in criminal complaints obtained by Law&Crime. The agency was looking into possible abuse of their 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter at their Shawano County residence. During a CPS interview, the son, becoming emotional, revealed the abuse he endured, such as being made to manually cut the lawn, weed, and chop wood with minimal water, according to the complaint.
If the son made minor mistakes like bending his knees while picking weeds, his father would punish him by either beating him with a belt or making him run around the driveway more than 15 times, the complaint noted. He was also forced to sleep on the floor and was denied food if he misbehaved. His room had a camera installed to ensure he stayed off his 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 to investigators out of fear of her parents’ retaliation. She believed punishments were for committing sins.
Involved in the situation, Lisa Gutenberger’s adult son, Dade Marthaler, now 23, faced charges as well. He pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors, including obstructing an officer by allegedly trying to conceal one of the home’s cameras.
