A 10-month-old boy died after weeks of untreated illness, leading to criminal convictions for the adults responsible for his care.
ADAMS, MA – A Berkshire County courtroom fell silent Wednesday as a judge ordered prison sentences for a Massachusetts couple convicted in the death of their 10-month-old foster child, concluding a case prosecutors described as preventable. Matthew Tucker and Cassandra Barlow-Tucker were each sentenced to three to five years in state prison after a jury found they failed to seek medical care for the infant despite clear signs of serious illness.
Superior Court Judge Tracy Duncan imposed the sentences following last month’s convictions on one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of reckless child endangerment for each defendant. The judge ordered the sentences to be staggered, with Barlow-Tucker serving first, followed by Tucker, citing the couple’s four children. Both will face probation after release and are barred from serving as foster parents or caregivers.
Case centered on untreated illness
The convictions stem from the death of Kristoff Zenopolous, who died Feb. 18, 2020, from complications related to a strep infection, bronchopneumonia, and empyema, according to trial testimony cited by Springfield NBC affiliate WWLP. Medical experts told jurors those conditions are typically treatable with timely intervention.
Prosecutors argued the couple failed to act even as the infant’s condition deteriorated over an extended period. Evidence presented at trial indicated the child showed symptoms for weeks before his death. The couple also left the infant unattended for approximately 14 hours before discovering him unresponsive, according to reporting by WRGB.
“No sentence can undo the loss of this child. This was an avoidable and deeply tragic case,” Assistant District Attorney Andrew Covington said in a statement. “We hope today’s outcome brings some measure of justice and a sense of closure to the child’s loved ones.”
Defense cited prior health concerns
Defense attorneys contended the child had preexisting respiratory issues and that the couple believed his symptoms were consistent with illnesses affecting others in the household. They argued the defendants had previously been advised to monitor his condition at home.
Jurors ultimately sided with prosecutors, determining the couple’s failure to seek care amounted to criminal negligence.
“The child should be celebrating his seventh birthday next month. Instead, he died at just ten months old because the defendants, his foster parents, failed to seek medical treatment despite clear and obvious signs that he needed care,” Covington said after the convictions. “As special prosecutors assigned to this case, we felt a duty to see the matter through and ensure accountability.”
Prosecutors had sought five-year prison terms followed by probation, while defense attorneys argued for no incarceration. In addition to prison time, Tucker will serve five years of probation after release, and Barlow-Tucker will serve three years.