Last week, a Montana man convicted of murdering his stepson received an 80-year prison sentence.
In March, a jury convicted Kristopher Michael Harasymczuk, 40, of deliberate homicide for the death of 4-year-old Jaxsynn Gatlin in 2021, rather than the lesser charge of negligent homicide.
Jaxsynn, who had autism, was drowned in a bathtub filled with scalding hot water by his stepfather, according to a copy of the case information sheet obtained by PEOPLE.
According to court documents, the boy’s death was initially thought to be an accident after his mother, Lana Harasymczuk, told responding officers that her son had been alone in the bathroom and had most likely tripped the night before.
According to court documents, officers arrived at the scene to find Jaxsynn laying on the floor next to the tub, completely dry. The officers also stated that the boy felt very warm to the touch.
Prosecutors said Lana changed her story after the medical examiner performed an autopsy on the boy and determined that the cause of death was hyperthermia and the manner of death was homicide.
The medical examiner stated in the autopsy report that Jaxsynn had a temperature of 102 degrees at the time of his death, and that there was bruising on the boy’s face and body, which was most likely caused by abuse.
Lana allegedly told police after receiving the medical examiner’s findings that her husband was with Jaxsynn in the bathroom just before she discovered the boy unresponsive.
Lana also allegedly told police that Harasymczuk would frequently beat Jaxsynn and her 6-year-old son with a metal spatula, according to the information sheet.
Throughout the investigation, a Child Protective Services representative spoke with the victim’s father, who provided them with a photo of the “severe bruising” and “redness” he discovered on his older son’s body two days after the victim’s death.
According to an affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, he claimed the injuries were caused by Harasymcuzk’s beating of the boy.
The biological father also claimed that Harasymczuk would punish his sons with “spanking, wall sits, pushing and kicking them to the ground, and pushing them down in the bathtub.”
When police learnt of this information, they went in search of the metal spatula that Harasymcuzk was accused of using in the beatings, which they discovered had been broken and thrown away by the defendant, according to the information sheet.
After learning about the biological father’s claims, prosecutors decided to charge Harasymczuk with assault on a minor and tampering with physical evidence, and the jury convicted her on both counts in March.
In addition to the 80-year sentence imposed by Yellowstone County District Court Judge Collette Davies last week, Harasymczuk was sentenced to 15 years for each of the additional charges.
These three sentences will run concurrently.
Prosecutors also charged Lana on the same day her husband was sentenced.
According to court records, she faces three counts of criminal child endangerment and tampering with evidence. She has yet to enter a plea on any of these charges.
Attorneys for Lana and Harasymczuk did not respond to requests for comment.
