BOISE, Idaho — An Ada County judge decided a Kuna couple convicted of felony child abuse will not serve time in jail.
According to the Ada County Prosecutor's Office, Honorable Senior Judge Darla Williamson granted Gwen and Byron Buthman a withheld judgment with four years of probation.
Each defendant was given credit for one day of jail previously served, with no additional jail time. Each is ordered to complete 300 hours of community service. A no-contact order with the victim has been issued for 30 years.
The state originally requested a 20-year prison sentence with five years fixed due to the seriousness of the offenses.
The Buthmans were indicted in March 2019 and convicted by a jury in June 2022 for felony injury to a child with an enhancement for producing great bodily harm, and a misdemeanor count of injury to a child.
Prosecutors say the Buthmans punished and mistreated their adopted daughter from ages three to six. She was given cold baths, was only able to consume a vegetable powder substance as her source of food, was isolated from her siblings, and was made to sleep in a laundry room without bedding, according to the press release.
During the trial, the victim testified that on one occasion she was so hungry that she ate toilet paper after being locked in a bathroom by the defendants.
In October 2017, at the age of five, the victim went into cardiac arrest due to extreme malnourishment and being forced to stand outside in the winter cold wearing only a diaper. The child survived, though officials say the abuse continued even after the cardiac arrest event.
“We appreciate those who intervened on the child’s behalf, as they prevented a possible child homicide,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts. “I appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in this case, including my trial team, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, and St. Luke’s CARES.”
