WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - Forest County District Attorney Chuck Simono said his office is working to determine if homicide charges are appropriate in the death of a 10-year-old boy who suffered debilitating physical abuse as a toddler.
Kolton Ouellette was just 18 months old when his mother’s boyfriend physically abused him. His mother was convicted of covering up the abuse. Kolton was left in a permanent vegetative state. He passed away unexpectedly at home on June 10. Funeral services will be held Thursday.
In July 2014, Brandon Brunette, then 29-years-old was convicted of critically abusing Kolton. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 10 years of extended supervision. Jennifer Shepard, Kolton’s mother pleaded no contest to neglecting a child, obstructing an officer and bail jumping. She was sentenced to 60 days in jail and two years of probation.
According to court documents, Brunette told investigators he went to the bathroom and heard the boy fall off of the couch. He said he picked him up and the child kicked him with his leg that was already in a cast. Brunette said he lost his balance and dropped the child from a chest-level height. The toddler had reportedly broken his leg weeks earlier after he fell down the steps.
Brunette said the boy cried but seemed fine and he put him to bed. Brunette said later the boy had vomit coming from his nose and was limp that’s when he called 911.
The boy was transported to an Antigo hospital and then transferred to a Marshfield hospital after his injuries were determined to be life-threatening. According to the criminal complaint, the boy began posturing-- involuntary extensions of the arms or legs; indicating a brain injury while at the hospital.
Investigators said a cellphone belonging to Shepard, had a recently sent message to Brunette stating, “as long as we keep our stories straight, we may be okay.”
During questioning with police the next day, Brunette said the boy did fall off the couch as previously stated and he did kick Brunette in the chest with his casted leg causing him to lose his balance and drop the boy. However, Brunette said the boy would not stop crying that’s when he grabbed him by the leg and threw him 10-15 feet into a wall or tv stand.
According to court documents, Shepard sent text messages to Brunette, while the boy was being treated in the ICU at St. Joseph’s in Marshfield informing Brunette of what she had told police.
According to the criminal complaint the text messages said, “as long as we keep our stories straight, we may be ok”; “I told him there were no drugs in the house, just so you know”; and “it doesn’t look good for you”.
During Brunette’s sentencing hearing in October 2014, Kolton Ouellette’s family recounted what happened the previous year.
They took the stand describing the long-term effects the boy, then age 3, would have to endure. He required around-the-clock care. His grandmother told the judge that she wanted to see justice served.
“He [Brunette] needs to pay for what he did. I’m trying to think of a way to say what I am feeling. I’m not sure that would be the right thing to say. I want every day of his life to be hell-- like he put my grandson through,” said Christine Ouellette during the sentencing.
Simono told NewsChannel 7 they are waiting on the pathologist’s report to determine if Kolton’s cause of death was due to the abuse he suffered as a toddler.
