Amie Ruleman, 40, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child after officials discovered her four-year-old son had been dead for more than 24 hours before being reported, according to court documents.
Police received a call from Ruleman at 2 p.m. on April 7. Ruleman stated that her son was unconscious and not breathing. Police arrived at her Pratt Court home and pronounced her son deceased.
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When asked what happened, Ruleman told authorities that she had given her son Tylenol in the morning due to an “illness.” She claimed she discovered vomit in her son’s bed and that he was making sounds associated with illness.
She then changed her son’s diaper and fell asleep beside him on the couch. When she awoke, she said she saw her kid kneeling on the floor. She told authorities that when she touched him, he felt chilly.
Inside the property, the Franklin County Coroner discovered drug paraphernalia near the bathroom sink. Authorities also observed that the home was visibly disorganized, cluttered, and dirty.
As officials waited for a signed search warrant, a gentleman approached them and described himself as Ruleman’s acquaintance. He said he saw her and her son on Easter Sunday, two days before Ruleman’s allegation. Ruleman’s companion informed authorities that her son was noticeably unwell while they were together on Easter. Ruleman’s acquaintance reported that her son was dressed exactly as he was when he was pronounced dead.
After evaluating the kid, the Franklin County Coroner determined that the child had died for more than 24 hours.
After the search warrant was issued, officials discovered controlled narcotics. According to police, Ruleman’s 4-year-old kid weighed only 25 pounds, whereas the usual weight for a youngster of his age should be between 33 and 37 pounds.
The police asked Ruleman to guide them through her timeline. She explained that around 7:30 p.m. the night before, her kid was sitting on a chair beside the sofa. She then lay her son on the sofa before plugging in her phone and falling asleep. She then awoke about 4 a.m. to discover her child kneeling on the floor, his head and arms resting on the chair. She reported that she went back to sleep around this time.
Around 11:30 a.m., Ruleman awoke again to find her son in the same posture. She told officers that she got up to use the restroom. During this time, Ruleman took a photograph of her son and gave it to her juvenile daughter. She told authorities that when she got out of the restroom about 12:45 p.m., she tried to wake her kid, but he was cold to the touch. She then dialed 911.
Following her version of the occurrence, authorities detained her for interrogation.
While being questioned, Ruleman revealed that her son was ill and that his vomit was black and white. Ruleman then explained that her son had frequent stomach troubles and that she had to press on his stomach to get him to defecate. When officers asked Ruleman if she had taken her son to the doctor, she admitted to missing at least five appointments. Later in the conversation, Ruleman said that her son’s diet comprised solely of chips, chicken nuggets, and small pancakes. Ruleman also revealed that her son frequently ate his own clothes.
After the interview, authorities charged Ruleman with one count of endangering the welfare of children. Ruleman’s bail is currently set at $1 million. She is currently detained in Franklin County Prison.
