Homeschooling Georgia parents 'hid their 10-year-old son and tried to starve him to death'

The Georgia parents who allegedly hid their adopted 10-year-old son and tried to starve him to death so no one would know he existed have been denied bail ahead of their trial. 

Tyler and Krista Schindley, from Griffin, Spalding, were charged in May with attempted manslaughter and child abuse, and they appeared in the county's Superior Court on Monday morning ahead of a criminal trial. 

The well-to-do Christian couple were arrested after their emaciated son escaped from home and was found wandering barefoot through their upscale Griffin neighborhood, telling locals he had been locked in a closet. 

On Monday, Judge Benjamin D Coker agreed with prosecutors that the pair should not be granted bail because they 'pose a significant threat or danger' to others, and due to the 'serious nature' of their alleged offences, which span from 2020 to 2023. 

A court document signed by Coker adds that the couple are considered at 'significant risk of committing a new felony pending trial'.

Georgia parents Tyler and Krista Schindley, from Griffin, Spalding, were charged with attempted manslaughter and child abuse in May, and they appeared in the county's Superior Court on Monday morning where they were denied bail 

The Schindleys lived in a $450,000 suburban home boasting five bedrooms and a pool, located in an affluent part of Griffin, Georgia, and ran a spa business 

Judge Benjamin D Coker agreed with prosecutors that the Schindleys should not be released on bail because they 'pose a significant threat or danger' to the wider community

During the hearing, prosecutors argued that the Schindleys had planned to allow their foster son to die of starvation while hidden away so that no one would know he existed, according to Atlanta-based affiliate WSB-TV. 

Tyler, 46, and Krista, 47, 'gain quite a bit of financial benefit from fostering five children' which has given them 'access to uncounted funds that would give them the ability to flee the jurisdiction', they added. 

The couple have been prolific foster parents over the past decade, with a brood of eight, including five adopted children - twin boys and twin girls, and the 10-year-old they are formally charged with neglecting. 

They also have three biological sons - two are related to Tyler and one is related to Krista, each with previous partners. 

Tyler's eldest son, now an adult, told DailyMail.Com that the couple were 'physically and mentally abusive' to several of the children, and he ran away from home at the age of 17. 

The Schindley survivor, who did not want to be named, said his dad and stepmom would lock him in his room without food for several days at time, and force him to pick up rocks for hour or run bootcamp-style laps of their swish neighborhood.

Before the alleged neglect was unearthed, church-goers Tyler and Krista maintained a clean-cut facade and were highly praised by friends and neighbors for their apparent altruism. 

Tyler and Krista (pictured) are accused of causing 'cruel and excessive physical and mental pain' and leaving their son alone for 'extended periods of time and, on multiple occasions, with no access to lights, food, clothing or adult interaction and/or assistance' 

The back of the $447,000 Griffin, Georgia home where the Schindleys lived

However, he said the punishments were not dished out universally - the couple targeted only Tyler's sons - including one who is autistic, and the adopted 10-year-old, who they fostered when he was six. 

The sibling said his ordeal began in 2012 when Tyler split from the boy's biological mom and married Krista less than a year later, relocating the family from Sandusky, Ohio, to a smart four-bed home in Jackson, Georgia. 

They ran a spa business and lived in a $450,000 suburban home boasting five bedrooms and a pool, while being regulars at Eagles Landing Baptist Church.

However, their alleged dark secrets were unearthed when their 10-year-old adopted son roamed into the street barefoot weighing only 36 pounds, saying he was walking to the Kroger grocery store to find food. 

A Good Samaritan ushered the youngster into her garage and dialed 911 even as Krista raced out of her home and drove around the neighborhood anxiously looking for him.

Court documents revealed the boy was also suffering from untreated dental injuries and facial 'disfiguration'. 

The couple have been charged with criminal attempts to commit a felony, cruelty to children, false imprisonment and simple battery. Pictured: The couple in court on May 23

Police in Griffin arrested Tyler and Krista Schindley after neighbors found their emaciated son roaming through the streets on May 12

Tyler and Krista are accused of causing 'cruel and excessive physical and mental pain' and leaving him alone for 'extended periods of time, and on multiple occasions, with no access to lights, food, clothing or adult interaction and/or assistance.'

The 10-year-old boy's half-brother, Ethan Washburn, 20, who lives in Tennessee, has also since been charged with aggravated assault for allegedly choking the child with his bare hands. 

According to public records, Tyler and Krista Schindley have only ever been written up for minor traffic offenses, including speeding, an improper turn and an expired registration.

Krista is thought to have been a franchise owner of the Peachtree City True Rest Float Spa and both she and husband Tyler managed the spa together.

Tyler's Facebook page also listed him as a manager at an Under Armour store in McDonough.

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