Mary Yoder, a 28-year-old mother from Indiana, has been sentenced to nearly 42 years in prison for the brutal abuse and death of her 4-year-old son, Judah Morgan, and the abuse of another son when he was 23 months old. This tragic incident occurred in their family home near Kingsford Heights, a small town in Union Township, south of Lake Michigan, in October 2021.

Yoder had pleaded guilty in August 2023 to felony neglect of a dependent in connection with Judah’s death. She also pleaded guilty to a separate felony domestic battery charge related to the abuse of her youngest child when he was a toddler. These charges are a grim reminder of the horrifying events that took place within their home.

Prosecutors revealed that Yoder did nothing to stop the ongoing torture and abuse inflicted on Judah by his father, Alan Morgan, who was 30 years old at the time. Alan Morgan is currently serving a 70-year prison sentence for his involvement in his son’s murder and other related charges. The abuse and killing occurred under their roof, and it paints a gruesome picture of the environment in which these children were raised.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Thomas Alevizos handed down a 42-year prison sentence to Mary Yoder. This comprised 37 years for the neglect charge related to Judah’s suffering and an additional 5 years for the battery charge in connection with her other son’s abuse.

The tragic incident came to light on October 11, 2021, when the La Porte Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from the Yoder-Morgan family home regarding an unconscious child. Mary Yoder had dialed 911, reporting that Alan Morgan had lost his temper and harmed Judah. When deputies arrived at the scene, they discovered Judah in a bedroom, naked, and covered in a blanket, with extensive bruises all over his body, including his face and head.

Tragically, Judah was pronounced dead at the scene, and an autopsy conducted the following day confirmed that he had died as a result of homicide. Court records revealed that Judah had been duct-taped in a basement and ultimately starved to death as part of his punishment.

Mary Yoder later admitted to investigators that Judah had been sent to the basement as a form of punishment, occurring approximately three times a week, because he had not been successfully potty-trained like his other siblings in the household.

One heartbreaking aspect of this case is that Judah had spent the first four years of his life with foster parents until the Indiana Department of Child Services returned custody to his biological parents. This decision ultimately led to the tragic events that unfolded in their home, resulting in Judah’s death.

Despite the sentencing, there is no real justice that can fully compensate for the suffering that Judah endured. During the court hearing, Jenna Hullett, Judah’s former foster mother, expressed the collective sentiment, saying, “Ultimately, there is no real justice for Judah, but we pray for some sense of it. The only solace we have is knowing that Judah is no longer suffering.”

The case of Mary Yoder and the horrifying abuse and death of her son Judah serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of safeguarding the well-being and safety of vulnerable children in our society. The tragic outcome of this case underscores the critical need for vigilant child protection and intervention to prevent such heartbreaking incidents from occurring in the future.