Justice Denied? Woman Who Starved 8-Year-Old Boy Gets Less Than 2 Years in Prison

When doctors first laid eyes on the little boy, their hearts broke.

He was 8 years old but weighed just 40 pounds—about the size of a toddler. His arms and legs were like twigs, his ribs visible, his body weak from months—maybe years—of starvation.

And the person responsible? The woman who was supposed to protect him.

Now, years later, Jamie Strahm, his 33-year-old stepmother, has been sentenced for her shocking neglect. But here’s the part that’s hard to swallow:

She’s only getting 23 months in prison.

For some, that feels like justice.
For others, it feels like a slap in the face.

The Little Boy Who Was Silently Suffering

For years, no one knew what was happening inside that home.

Strahm had been caring for the boy since he was just a toddler. Then, at age 4, he suffered a severe brain injury that landed him in the hospital. Doctors inserted a G-tube (a feeding tube) to help him get nutrients.

That’s when the nightmare began.

Instead of helping him get stronger, Strahm allegedly used the G-tube as an excuse to deny him food. She claimed he “refused to eat” and missed doctor’s appointments that could have saved him.

As he got older, his weight kept dropping. By the time he was 7, he had fallen to dangerous levels—yet no one stepped in.

Then came the breaking point.

The Day His Suffering Finally Ended

In October 2019, Strahm finally took him to a dietitian. But what doctors saw was horrifying.

His tiny body was starving. His organs were failing.

They rushed him to the hospital. And then?

Something incredible happened.

When Strahm wasn’t around, the little boy started eating normally. He didn’t need the G-tube at all. In just one month, he gained 10 pounds.

That was all investigators needed to see.

Strahm was banned from seeing him. Child Protective Services launched an investigation. And for the first time in years, the boy was safe.

The Sentencing That Sparked Outrage

After a long legal battle, Strahm was found guilty of first-degree criminal mistreatment.

But her punishment?
Just 23 months in prison.

• 90 days for one count

• 20 months for the second count

When the sentence was read, Strahm cried in the courtroom.

“I just want the opportunity to fix the mistakes I made as a mom, to repair the damage I have caused,” she said.

But for the boy’s biological mother, Loreena Menzel, Strahm’s tears meant nothing.

“How is it acceptable that she got under two years?” Menzel asked.

And many people agree.

Will He Ever Heal?

The little boy is recovering, but the scars—both physical and emotional—will last forever.

Strahm, on the other hand, will walk free in less than two years.

Did the justice system fail this child?

Or will this be the case that finally sparks change for children suffering in silence?

One thing is certain:

For this little boy, the nightmare is finally over.