Background: Tina Beauprey (left) and her attorney during her court appearance on Jan. 28 (WLUK). Inset: Tina Beauprey (Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office).
A Wisconsin mother, Tina Beauprey, faces serious allegations after her 12-year-old son’s tragic death, which prosecutors claim resulted from severe neglect. They argue that Beauprey, 51, failed to provide food for her son despite attributing his drastic weight loss to a terminal illness.
Currently held at Fond du Lac County Jail on a $500,000 bond, Beauprey was taken into custody following the boy’s death, which occurred after he was rushed to the emergency room in December 2025. Local news outlet WLUK reported that the investigation into Beauprey began shortly thereafter, revealing unsettling details about the circumstances leading to the boy’s demise.
Although no formal charges have been filed, a probable cause affidavit accessed by WLUK highlighted the boy’s alarming condition at the time of his death, weighing a mere 56 pounds. The autopsy report indicated starvation as the cause of death and classified it as a homicide.
In court documents reviewed by Judge Laura Lavey, it was noted that the child had weighed 80 pounds in November 2024. By the following year, his weight had plummeted to 56 pounds, with 15% of that weight loss occurring in the final five weeks of his life.
Assistant District Attorney Kristin Menzl emphasized in court that the child was deprived of necessary care, specifically food, and pointed out that Beauprey failed to seek medical attention as her son’s health sharply deteriorated in the days leading up to his death on December 5, 2025.
In response, defense attorney Michael Queensland argued that the boy’s weight loss was anticipated due to his diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. He stated in court that the family was aware of the terminal nature of the illness, expected significant weight loss, and understood that a feeding tube would soon be necessary.
Formal charges have not yet been filed against Beauprey. Lavey ordered bail to be set at $500,000, and Beauprey remains in custody at Fond du Lac County Jail. Her next court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 2.
