Montgomery County, MD: A woman from Montgomery County has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for setting her 8-year-old son on fire in May 2020.
A 31-year-old woman from Germantown, Kimberly Tyler, received a sentence of 30 years in prison, with 25 years to be served and five years of supervised probation upon release.
Tyler was found guilty by a jury on Dec. 7, 2023, on various charges, including first-degree child abuse and conspiracy to commit neglect of a minor, after a four-day trial.
In May 2020, prosecutors alleged that Tyler became angry with her son for creating a mess while eating cereal. As a form of punishment, she reportedly took the boy to the kitchen, where she poured rubbing alcohol on his hand and set it ablaze. The fire quickly escalated, completely consuming the boy from his torso to his head.
Chareese Snorgrass-Tyler, Tyler’s wife and co-defendant, along with her younger sister, were present in the home during the incident. Tyler and Snorgrass-Tyler placed the victim in the shower after he became engulfed in flames.
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The boy sustained severe burns on his upper arms, chest, neck, face, and other parts of his upper body. Approximately a quarter of his body surface was burned. Tyler was also harmed by the fire.
Instead of seeking medical help for her child, Tyler reached out to her parents Kimball Tyler and Lisa Jones, who were also implicated as co-defendants in the abuse.
Tyler and her father went to the store to purchase bandages and burn cream. Upon returning to the apartment, Kimball Tyler carefully wrapped the 8-year-old in gauze.
The boy was then sent to live with his grandparents in Howard County, Maryland where he stayed for about two weeks without receiving any medical attention.
During a video call, Kimball Tyler spoke to the boy’s mother and observed the victim in a state of distress. The child was seen wearing numerous bandages and experiencing intense pain, evident from his grimaces and difficulty in standing.
Kimball Tyler eventually returned the boy to his mother’s apartment and strongly encouraged her to seek medical attention for him, but she declined. At last, on May 30, 2020, Kimball Tyler collected his grandson from the apartment and transported him to Children’s National Medical Center.
The hospital staff reported the suspected abuse to Montgomery County Police, prompting an investigation to commence.
During the police interview, Tyler stated that she was cooking chicken and had momentarily left it unattended. It was during this time that the little boy accidentally spilled the hot grease on himself. She went to great lengths to illustrate the size of the kitchen to the police, providing a detailed drawing to support her claim.
The police were skeptical of the story and subsequently charged Tyler, her wife, and father.
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The individual experienced challenges in managing their bowel movements due to Hirschsprung’s disease. According to prosecutors, there were instances when the boy had accidents, and Tyler and her wife would discipline him by putting him in his sister’s clothes and using girl’s names. After the boy had an accident before school, the women insisted that he attend school without showering and wearing soiled clothes.
Investigators have uncovered disturbing details about the treatment the victim endured, including being sent to school in ill-fitting diapers and subjected to unnecessary enemas as a form of discipline. During a particular incident, the individual attempted to remove the enema independently and was subsequently disciplined.
As a form of punishment, Tyler would also remove patches of his hair and proceed to mock him in front of the other children as per FOX5.
The victim and his siblings also mentioned that they frequently experienced hunger. Additionally, medical staff at the hospital observed malnutrition as one of the victim’s conditions.
Kimball Tyler gave testimony that implicated his own daughter during the trial. He admitted his guilt for reckless endangerment and was given a sentence of probation before judgment.
Chareese Snorgrass-Tyler has admitted to neglecting a minor. She received a suspended prison sentence of five years, with only six months to be served, and will be placed on supervised probation for five years after release.