Jaymeson Wahlstrom and Vivian Wahlstrom (Itasca County Jail).
In Minnesota, a stepmother has been sentenced to prison for subjecting her young stepdaughter to cruel treatment, a case prosecutors have labeled as one of the state’s most shocking instances of child abuse.
Vivian Rose Wahlstrom, 25, admitted to charges of child torture and received a 57-month prison sentence, equivalent to 4 years and 9 months. She received credit for the 433 days she has already served. Her husband, Jaymeson Patrick Wahlstrom, 28, faces a similar charge and is due in court on March 23.
According to previous reports by Law&Crime, much of the abuse was recorded by a camera installed in the child’s room. The father told investigators they would be “surprised” by the footage, as detailed in a 17-page probable cause affidavit.
The investigation by the Grand Rapids Police Department began in early October 2024 when the girl appeared at school with a noticeable black and yellow bruise on her upper right arm. During police interviews, the girl revealed her father was responsible for the bruise. Jaymeson Wahlstrom described his daughter as having “significant needs” and mentioned efforts to secure therapy for her, though he cited long waiting lists as an obstacle, the affidavit noted.
Medical examinations revealed at least 20 bruises on the child’s body, including her arms, mouth, ribs, back, thighs, shoulders, face, and ears. When authorities visited the home, they found her room in disarray, with just a urine-stained mattress on the floor, a single blanket, moldy dishes, and a TV, according to the affidavit. Other areas of the home were reportedly littered with urine, dog feces, dirty laundry, and trash.
Following his arrest, Jaymeson Wahlstrom, during a jail interview, confirmed that the girl is his daughter from a previous relationship, while he and Vivian Wahlstrom have two other children together. He claimed that his wife was unwilling to care for the girl and had suggested sending her to a boarding school or facing divorce. He also admitted to punishing the girl by withholding food, and mentioned that she resorted to eating paint chips and playing with an empty McDonald’s Happy Meal box due to a lack of toys, the affidavit stated.
Detectives reviewed videos from the girl’s room, which showed her “in her room alone for long periods of time every day.” The parents allegedly would take the girl’s blanket away if she misbehaved and would constantly tell her to “lie right” by lying on her back with her hands at her side. If she moved, they would yell at her to return to that position. She was allegedly told to “go to bed” at all times of the day and only allowed to leave her room if she had to go to the bathroom. The parents also allegedly would berate her on a near-daily basis. In one instance, the girl walked out of her room and Vivian Wahlstrom yelled at her daughter, “Get in your room before I f—ing kill you,” the affidavit said.
The father also reportedly described to detectives a time a few days prior to his arrest when he had “lost it” after learning his daughter had disrespected his wife. Videos showed a daylong beatdown where he hit her close to 100 times, cops alleged. She was punched, slapped, kicked and slammed against the wall by her father, the affidavit said. He also ripped off her clothes. All the while, Vivian Wahlstrom egged on her husband. He continued to yell at his daughter, cops said.
“Until you have some words to say, you will not be going to school, you will not be getting food, you won’t be getting anything but your bed and the toilet,” Jaymeson Wahlstrom allegedly screamed. “You better f—ing think of some meaningful words for your mom or she won’t take care of you anymore.”
Prosecutors filed the child torture charges against the Wahlstroms on Dec. 19, 2024. Child services took custody of the three children.
Jake Fauchald, Itasca County Attorney, released the following statement to Twin Cities ABC affiliate KSTP.
Following a diligent investigation undertaken by the Grand Rapids Police Department, the Itasca County Attorney’s Office has filed Child Torture charges against Vivian and Jaymeson Wahlstrom. The evidence supporting these charges is primarily in the form of numerous videos taken from a camera within the Wahlstrom home that depict the Wahlstroms engaging in barbaric assaults against a child in the home. These heinous crimes are without precedent in Itasca County and rank highly amongst some of the most abominable child abuse cases ever encountered in Minnesota. The Itasca County Attorney’s Office is treating this case with the seriousness that it deserves and will seek an outcome that is commensurate with this reprehensible conduct and in the best interests of the child-victim.
