‘How is it Acceptable?’: Woman Avoids Serious Jail Time After 8-Year-Old Stepson in Her Care Weighs Just 40 Pounds

An Oregon stepmother, Jamie Strahm, was sentenced to just under two years in prison after neglecting her boyfriend’s son, resulting in the child weighing less than 40 pounds at the age of eight. Strahm was found guilty of two counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment, following a lengthy investigation into the boy’s severe neglect. The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office announced Strahm’s conviction earlier this month. On Friday, District Judge Leslie Bottomly handed down Strahm’s sentence, which consists of 90 days in jail for the first charge and 20 months for the second. The sentences will run consecutively, totaling 23 months—just under two years. Strahm’s conviction stems from her failure to provide proper care for the child, despite being aware of his deteriorating health.

Neglect Leads to Severe Health Decline

Strahm had been in a relationship with the boy’s father since 2014. The child, who was four years old at the time, suffered a serious brain injury that required a lengthy hospitalization. Before this incident, he weighed about 45 pounds and was in the 85th percentile for weight for his age. After the injury, he was sent home with a G-tube to assist with feeding, but his condition worsened under Strahm’s care.

Prosecutors explained that, over the next few years, Strahm failed to properly care for the boy, resulting in significant weight loss. By 2018, the child, now 7 years old, had dropped to the 13th percentile for weight. Strahm claimed that he refused to eat and required feeding through the tube, but her actions were later shown to be neglectful. She skipped several doctor’s appointments, failing to get the boy the medical attention he desperately needed.

Hospital Admission and Recovery

In October 2019, Strahm finally took the boy to a dietician, where he was found to be extremely frail and underweight, weighing less than 40 pounds at the age of 8. The boy was admitted to a children’s hospital, where staff observed that, when Strahm was not present, he was able to eat on his own. Within a month of being away from Strahm, the boy gained 10 pounds and showed remarkable improvement, proving that he did not require the feeding tube that had been used for years.

Strahm was subsequently banned from the hospital, and her actions were deemed a clear case of criminal mistreatment. A jury convicted her on March 7 after deliberating on whether she had intentionally withheld the necessary food and medical attention the boy needed to thrive. Prosecutors stated that Strahm had “knowingly” allowed the child to suffer from malnutrition and lack of care.

Victim’s Mother Criticizes Sentence

The boy’s biological mother, Loreena Menzel, expressed dissatisfaction with the relatively light sentence handed down to Strahm. “How is it acceptable that she got under two years?” Menzel questioned during an interview, voicing frustration over the court’s decision. At her sentencing, Strahm offered an apology to the court, expressing regret for her actions. “I just want the opportunity to be able to fix the mistakes I have made as a mom, to repair the damage that I have caused,” Strahm said. The case has raised concerns about the adequacy of the legal consequences for those who fail to protect vulnerable children, with the victim’s family and others questioning whether the sentence appropriately reflects the severity of the abuse.