Half-brother of 10-year-old Georgia boy found nearly starving just in case

The half-brother of 10-year-old Georgia who was found wandering a suburb begging for food after allegedly starving to death at the hands of his parents has also been arrested in connection with the case.

Ethan Washburn, 19, has been charged with aggravated assault for strangling his younger brother, who weighed just 36 pounds when he was rescued by police.

Washburn, a resident of Tennessee, is the biological son of Krista Schindley, 47, who is accused of committing child abuse with husband Tyler Schindley, 46.

Police in Griffin, Georgia said Washburn used his bare hands to strangle the boy.

In addition to not feeding their son, the couple allegedly allowed them four other children to ‘see and/or hear’ physical violence against the boy on multiple occasions.

Since Washburn lives out of state, it’s unclear when he last saw his younger half-brother or why he was charged.

Last month, FOX 5 Atlanta stopped at the nearly $500,000 Griffin house where the family lived and spoke to Washburn who said he was just house-sitting.

“I’m not that close to the situation right now. I’m just looking at the house. I don’t really have any comment on this story at the moment,” Washburn said at the time.

Ethan is listed as a branch manager for the same spa chain his mother worked for before her arrest.

Authorities said neighbors found the boy wandering Westminster Circle on May 12 and took him off the street and called police.

Upon arrival, the boy – whose weight was equivalent to that of the average four-year-old – told police he was trying to go to Kroger to buy food.

He Reportedly begged officers not to “force me to go back.”

He was taken to hospital, his current condition is unknown.

“This child, simply put, was starving and it is tragic,” prosecutor Marie Broder said in a statement.

“I do believe this would be a very different case had he not come out of that house,” the prosecutor told local outlets.

The starving boy was locked in a bedroom and left alone in the house for an extended period of time, the court said.

During those periods, the boy would have done that “no access to light, food, clothing, or adult interaction and/or assistance,” the affidavit continued.

The Schindleys are also accused of leaving a “dental injury and disfigurement” the boy sustained unattended.

The other children who were in the home appeared to be fine and are currently with the Department of Family and Children’s Services.

In addition, Tyler’s 19-year-old son was also home and in good health.

The couple has been charged with criminal attempted felony, cruelty to children, false imprisonment and simple battery.

In May, Tyler’s ex-wife Melissa Waynette claimed that one of her children who lived with the couple had run away — while a second had been denied the “treatment” he needed.

Waynette said those two children she shared with Tyler also lived in Griffin, Georgia with the couple until recently.

One of her sons escaped from the house two years ago after tracking down Waynette through social media, while the other, she said, was returned to her two months ago.

The couple’s neighbor, Kim Seigler, told FOX 5 that she had previously worried about Schindley’s children.

“The fact that they’re my neighbors… just made me feel bad… like I should have been more careful,” she said.

Speaking to media in May, Broder said they would not release any photos of the child “for obvious reasons” and because they are “absolutely horrific.”

“As a mother, I can’t comprehend it. As a human being, it breaks your heart,” she said. “Anyone with a human heart who looks at it must be shocked to the bone.”

Krista and Tyler were due to appear in court on Monday, but had no lawyer to represent them.

A judge postponed the case to a later date.