4-Year-Old Boy With Autism Drowned to Death in Bathtub by Stepdad but Mom Said It Was Accidental

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A Montana man has been sentenced to prison after it was discovered he killed his stepson. Kristopher Harasymczuk fatally drowned the young boy, who had autism, in a bathtub. Although it was initially reported as an accident, the killing unearthed a world of truth. After the boy’s death, it was discovered his stepfather had a history of abuse. And it didn’t stop with the boy who died; it extended to his siblings as well. Now, not only is Harasymczuk going to likely spend the rest of his life in jail, but his wife may be joining him as well.

Harasymczuk, 40 years old, was sentenced to 80 years in prison for deliberate homicide on June 25, 2025, KRTV reported. He was sentenced to another 15 years on charges of assault of a minor and tampering with evidence. The sentences will be served concurrently. 

Harasymczuk was convicted in March 2025 of the 2021 killing of his 4-year-old stepson Jaxsynn Gatlin, who was drowned in a scalding hot bathtub. The assault charges stem from allegations of abuse against Jaxsynn and other children in the household. 

“What happened to these kids is evil,” Billings Police Department Detective David Raschkow said on the witness stand, per KRTV. Yellowstone Senior Deputy County Attorney John Ryan agreed. “This is the worst one I’ve been involved in for sure,” he said.

According to court documents, Jaxsynn’s death was originally believed to be an accident, People reported. His mother, Lana Harasymczuk, told responding officers that the boy was alone in the bathroom and likely tripped and fell into the bathtub. But officers noted in the document that when they arrived, the boy was lying next to the tub, completely dry. They also noted that he was very warm to the touch.

According to prosecutors, Lana Harasymczuk changed her story after an autopsy was performed, KRTV reported. Medical examiners ruled that Jaxsynn’s cause of death was hyperthermia in the manner of homicide. In the autopsy report, the boy’s temperature when he died was 102 degrees. They noted was bruising throughout his face and body was consistent with abuse. 

When presented with that information, the boy’s mother told detectives that Kristopher Harasymczuk was in the bathroom with Jaxsynn before she found him unresponsive. She also allegedly told police that her husband beat Jaxsynn and her 6-year-old son with a metal spatula. An affidavit obtained by People showed the boys’ biological father confirmed the abuse to Child Protective Services.

After learning about the spatula abuse, police went looking for it. They found it broken and thrown in the trash, per KRTV. As a result, a tampering with evidence charge was added to Harasymczuk’s conviction.

Lana Harasymczuk also faces charges after her husband’s sentencing: six felonies for child endangerment and tampering with evidence, KRTV reported. Her bail has been set at $100,000, and she has been ordered to wear a GPS monitor. She is not allowed to have contact with any minors, including her children, or any witnesses.

If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.