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Park City man gets 5 years for failing to give son medical care to save his life

A Park City man pleaded guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter for failing to give his son the medical care needed to fend off rejection of a new heart, leading to the 11-year-old boy's death.

David Stroud, 43, was sentenced to 5 years in prison and two years on parole for not providing Jason Stroud with access to doctors and the required medication for nearly one year.

The less serious charge of felony child endangerment resulting in death was dropped in exchange for the plea deal, Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Eric Kalata said in court.

Stroud is required to give truthful testimony against his estranged wife, Jennifer Stroud, should that case go to trial. She also faces charges of endangering the life of a child and involuntary manslaughter in Lake County court.

Kalata and defense attorney Sharmila Manak did not comment on the case after court.

David Stroud will receive day-for-day credit for time he serves in prison, Kalata said. Stroud also received 653 days' credit for time already served in Lake County jail and programs he has completed while incarcerated.

Jason was a sixth-grader at Woodland Middle School in Gurnee when he died Sept 11, 2016, four years after undergoing heart transplant surgery in Milwaukee.

The Strouds moved from Milwaukee to Park City in 2015 and were expected to take Jason to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago for regular visits. The couple were also tasked with giving Jason daily medication to prevent his body from rejecting the new heart, authorities said.

After Jason missed several hospital appointments between December 2015 and August 2016, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services performed a well-being check on the family, authorities said. During the visit, Jason was taken to a hospital where doctors determined his body was rejecting the donor heart after not taking the required medication, authorities said.

Jennifer and David Stroud were charged after a lengthy criminal investigation, authorities said. Jennifer Stroud was released from the Lake County jail after posting 10 percent of her $75,000 bail. David Stroud was in jail on the same bail amount throughout the process.

David and Jennifer Stroud were co-defendants at one point, but the case was severed after the couple filed for divorce in July.

During previous hearings, attorneys said the Strouds planned to blame each other when the case went to trial.

Attorney Elliot Pinsel, who serves as Jennifer Stroud's defense attorney, did not comment on David Stroud's plea deal Wednesday.

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Jennifer Stroud
Jason Stroud
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