An Ohio couple will spend the rest of their lives in prison for killing their adopted son. John and Katherine Snyder were sentenced to 29 years to life and 31 years to life in prison, respectively, for the murder of their 8-year-old son, Adam. Adam died in 2016 after suffering blunt force trauma to his head.
The couple was also convicted of abusing several of their other children.
The Snyders were found guilty of murder, endangering children, and felonious assault. They were sentenced to 15 years on the murder counts, with the other counts carrying various sentences to be served consecutively.
They will also be required to pay a $15,000 fine, register with the state’s violent offender database, and spend the rest of their lives on probation.
Prosecutors said that the couple killed Adam by slamming his head into the floor after he soiled himself. Adam’s father was aware of his son’s life-threatening injuries and refused to seek medical assistance.
An advocate for the couple’s surviving adopted and biological children castigated the parents for their actions.
“I heard the defense counsel mention earlier the innocence of their clients,” the advocate reportedly told the court. “Well, I’m asking you to consider the innocence of my clients, who are the surviving victims of their brother being murdered.”
The judge also addressed the couple.
“It was you that failed to meet these six children’s basic physical and emotional needs,” he reportedly told them. “As parents, you were their most important role models.”
The couple unsuccessfully sued to have the coroner’s report change the cause of death, claiming it was not a homicide.
Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Stacy Lefton told jurors that Adam suffered his fatal injuries after his mother got angry that he soiled himself and “slammed” his head into the floor. The boy’s father was aware of his son’s life-threatening injuries and refused to seek medical assistance.
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