A Pennsylvania mother faces felony charges this week after her 4-year-old son was found dead in their home, ending a welfare check that revealed the child had been deceased for an entire day before authorities were called.
Amie Ruleman, 40, was taken into custody on Wednesday, April 8, following an investigation by the Waynesboro Police Department.
According to charging documents, the incident began Tuesday afternoon when Ruleman called 911 to report that her son, who had autism, was unconscious and had stopped breathing.
When officers arrived at the residence, they discovered the child was already cold to the touch. The Franklin County Coroner later determined the boy had actually been dead for approximately 24 hours by the time emergency responders reached the scene.
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The details leading up to the 911 call paint a harrowing timeline of the boy’s final hours. Ruleman reportedly told investigators she first saw her son kneeling in a specific position at 4 a.m. Tuesday, during a brief moment when she woke up.
When she woke again at 11:30 a.m., she saw the child still kneeling in the exact same spot. Police say that during a trip to the bathroom that morning, Ruleman took a photograph of the unmoving child and sent the image to a family member.
It wasn’t until 12:35 p.m. that Ruleman attempted to wake the boy, at which point she realized his body was cold and placed the call for help. Court records allege she admitted to seeing the child remain in that single position for roughly nine hours without intervention.
Ruleman is currently charged with endangering the welfare of children. Online court dockets do not yet list an attorney for Ruleman or indicate whether she has entered a formal plea.
Police have not released further details regarding the boy’s specific cause of death as the investigation remains ongoing.
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