A Lucas County, Ohio man was convicted in connection with the death of his girlfriend’s 7-year-old son, who starved to death weighing just 19 pounds.
Conviction
Joshua Mulvey, 30, was found guilty of first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter and third-degree felony child endangerment in the June 2023 death of Kristopher Snyder. The child’s mother, Samantha Hardiman, was earlier sentenced to 15 years to life after pleading guilty to murder.
Circumstances of Death
Kristopher, who had cerebral palsy and epilepsy, was found deceased and emaciated in a playpen at the family’s Freeman Street home on June 2, 2023. An autopsy determined he died from severe malnutrition and dehydration. Authorities said the child had not been seen in person by a doctor for about four years, as his mother relied on telehealth visits and kept the home’s windows painted black to hide his condition.
Legal Findings
Mulvey lived with Kristopher and his mother for roughly two years and failed to ensure the child’s basic nutritional needs were met, despite access to therapeutic resources and food in the home.
Mulvey will remain in custody at the Lucas County Correctional Center, with sentencing scheduled for May 27.
