Left: Jason Klimp. Right: Jessica Klimp (Fentress County Jail).
Jason Klimp, 45, and Jessica Klimp, 43, admitted guilt to charges of aggravated child abuse and neglect, as reported by the 8th Judicial District Attorney General. Consequently, they received a 10-year prison sentence.
The situation unfolded in February 2024 when Fentress County authorities were called to the Klimp residence following the collapse of one of their adopted daughters. In a misguided attempt to revive her, her father placed her under a cold shower. Paramedics, taken aback by her small stature, estimated her age to be between 6 and 8, though she was actually 12. A paramedic testified that her body temperature was a dangerously low 95.6 degrees and her skin showed signs of discoloration, as reported by local NBC affiliate WBIR. Due to her critical condition, they arranged for her to be airlifted to a hospital. The Klimps claimed the girl and her biological sister struggled with consuming solid food. However, the 12-year-old later revealed to the authorities that they were fed through a bottle because their parents believed they “ate too much and would become ill.” Her sister was also found to be malnourished and not developing as expected.
Further investigation revealed that the girls were punished by being forced to sleep on plastic containers in the basement, where temperatures were around 60 degrees, without any blankets. This was supposedly due to bedwetting, according to arrest documents obtained by CBS affiliate WVLT. The household included eight children in total, comprising four adopted and four biological children of the Klimps.
Her body temperature was 95.6 degrees and her skin was discolored, a paramedic testified at a previous hearing, according to local NBC affiliate WBIR. She was in such bad shape that paramedics requested she be airlifted to a hospital. The parents claimed the girl and her biological sister were unable to eat solid foods. The 12-year-old later told cops she and her sister had to eat from a bottle because they “eat too much and would get sick.” Her sister also was malnourished and underdeveloped, cops said.
Investigators also learned that the two girls were forced to sleep on plastic totes in the 60-degree basement without blankets as a form of punishment because they wet the bed, according to arrest warrants obtained by CBS affiliate WVLT. A total of eight kids were living in the home, four of whom were adopted while the other four were the Klimps’ biological children.
The suspects are no longer allowed to have contact with the two victims. They will serve the rest of their sentence in their home state of Michigan, per officials.
