Multnomah County woman sentenced to nearly 2 years in prison after starving a child

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Jamie Strahm was sentenced to nearly two years in prison after being convicted of starving her stepson, with the court finding her guilty on two counts of criminal mistreatment. Under her care, the boy weighed less than 40 pounds by the age of 9, indicating significant neglect.

The District Attorney's Office revealed that the child experienced substantial weight loss while living with Strahm, who resorted to using a feeding tube instead of allowing him to eat by mouth. Despite this, she claimed he was unwilling to eat normally. Concerns arose in 2019 when a dietician examined the boy, leading to his admission to Randall Children's Hospital the next day due to his alarming thinness.

Judge Leslie Bottomly delivered Strahm's sentence, which brought a sense of relief to the child's family. However, they voiced frustration regarding the leniency of the punishment, calling for harsher penalties for child mistreatment. "How is it acceptable that she got under two years?" questioned Loreena Menzel, the boy's mother.

Before her sentencing, Strahm requested probation instead of prison time, arguing that serving time would negatively impact her other children. She expressed a desire to repair the damage caused by her actions.

Menzel is now advocating for state legislators to impose stricter punishments for child mistreatment, emphasizing the need for more substantial consequences to prevent future cases of neglect.