Mom Claimed Son, 12, Lost Weight and Died from 'Terminal Illness,' But Prosecutors Claim She Starved Him By Christina Coulter

A Wisconsin mother is accused of neglecting her 12-year-old son to death, and prosecutors allege the boy starved while defense attorneys claim he suffered from a terminal illness.

Police were called to SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital around 1 a.m. on Dec. 5, 2025, after a report of a deceased child who had been taken to the emergency department, per NBC 26, WLUK and WBAY.

More than a month later, on Jan. 23, officers arrested a 51-year-old Fond du Lac woman on a charge of child neglect causing death. She is being held at the Fond du Lac County Jail while awaiting formal charges, according to online jail records.

According to his obituary, the boy — identified as Jeremiah — was remembered for his sense of humor and love of sports, especially watching the Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers, and cheering on players from the stands. Family members said he enjoyed video games, McDonald’s chicken nuggets and talking to Alexa devices around the house, often asking for jokes to start his day.

During a bail hearing Wednesday, Judge Laura Lavey set a $500,000 cash bond for Beauprey, who WLUK reported.

Assistant District Attorney Kristin Menzl alleged in court that Beauprey failed to provide care and food to the child and did not seek medical attention even as his condition visibly worsened in the days before his death, WLUK reported. Prosecutors said the boy’s health declined significantly in the two days prior to his death, and that Beauprey had been at a hospital for another emergency shortly before her son died but did not seek care for him.

Beauprey’s attorney said the boy had Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a terminal illness, and that his weight loss was expected, WLUK reported.

Lavey cited a probable cause document stating the boy’s weight dropped from 80 pounds in November 2024 to 56 pounds at the time of his death, with roughly 15% of that loss occurring in the final five weeks of his life. The autopsy characterized the cause of death as homicide by starvation and did not list the child’s medical condition as a contributing cause, WLUK reported.

Police have said no additional information is being released at this time as the case proceeds.