Inset: Amie M. Ruleman (Waynesboro Police). Background: The area in Pennsylvania where Ruleman and her now-dead son lived (Google Maps).
A Pennsylvania mother is accused of severely neglecting her autistic 4-year-old son, whom she left dead on the floor of their home for more than 24 hours before calling 911 and telling the dispatcher that performing CPR seemed inappropriate, according to police.
Amie Marie Ruleman was taken into custody this week and charged with one count of felony endangering the welfare of a child in connection with her son's death, authorities announced.
Officers with the Waynesboro Police Department responded to the home in the 500 block of Pratt Court shortly after 1 p.m. April 7 regarding a report of an unresponsive child, Penn Live reported. Ruleman told the dispatcher she had found her son kneeling on the floor at about 11 a.m. with his hand resting on a chair. She said she assumed the boy was sleeping, but when she checked on him about an hour later, he was unconscious and not breathing.
Investigators who responded to the home pronounced the child dead at the scene, noting that he appeared to have been deceased for some time, according to Harrisburg ABC affiliate WHTM.
Ruleman initially told investigators her son had been sick since Easter Sunday, suffering from stomach issues and vomiting, and said she gave him Tylenol the morning he died. She also said the boy, who had autism and was nonverbal, had no other known health conditions.
But as the investigation unfolded, that timeline began to shift.
Ruleman reportedly revised her statement, telling investigators she saw her son kneeling on the floor with his arm resting on a chair around 4 a.m. and went back to bed instead of checking on him. Hours later, she woke again and found him in the same position, at one point taking a photo and sending it to a family member and then spending more than an hour in the bathroom before attempting to wake him.
Only after she found him unresponsive and cold to the touch did she call 911.
Investigators say medical evidence contradicted her account. The Franklin County coroner determined the boy had likely been dead for more than 24 hours — far longer than Ruleman claimed — and noted signs of malnourishment, with the child weighing about 25 pounds, well below the 35-pound average for his age, according to a report from Lancaster NBC affiliate WGAL.
Authorities also reportedly documented troubling conditions inside the home. Investigators described the residence as being in disarray, with drug paraphernalia visible and in areas the child could have accessed.
Witness accounts added to concerns about the boy's condition before his death. A friend who visited the home on Easter Sunday told police the child appeared visibly ill and urged Ruleman to seek medical care, but she did not take him to a hospital, according to York Fox affiliate WPMT.
During interviews, Ruleman allegedly admitted she had missed at least five doctor appointments for her son over the past two years — despite seeking medical care and prescription medications for herself. She also reportedly had no explanation for failing to take him.
Ruleman further claimed her son's diet consisted almost entirely of chips, chicken nuggets, and mini pancakes, adding that he often ate his own clothing.
"Based on the evidence gathered, including the child's physical condition, the inconsistencies in the timeline provided by Amie Ruleman, the presence of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia within the residence, and Ruleman's own admissions regarding her failure to seek medical care for her son, there is sufficient probable cause to believe that Ruleman's actions and neglect contributed to the condition of her child," prosecutors wrote in charging documents.
An official cause of death for the victim will be determined following an autopsy scheduled for this week.
Ruleman is currently being held at the Franklin County Prison in lieu of $1 million bond. She is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on April 21.
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