By
Updated 4 years ago,September 1, 2021
Jonathan James was a good boy.
How do I know this?
Jonathan tried to get out of visiting his father.
Krista Bishop
Jonathansparents told him he was not allowed to drinkand withheld water from him for five days.
Common wisdom is that humans cannot survive without water longer than three days.
The boy was made to stand on an X in his humid kitchen in 100-degree Texas heat.
He was fed peanut butter sandwiches he struggled to ingest as his body became critically dehydrated.
The 10-year-old was also made to hold a sack of potatoes over his head.
Jonathan was taken to the hospital but was too late.
Jonathan James died of forced dehydration on July 25, 2011.
Because if I said something, I would end up getting in trouble too.
Joseph says that even when Jonathan complied with his parents punishments, he still wasnt allowed water.
There was also a 12-year-old stepbrother in the home who was unharmed by this event.
Michael Ray James and Tina Alberson were charged with causing serious bodily injury to a child.
Police say Jonathan would have displayednoticeable symptomsduring the five days his parents were withholding water.
His wife had a previous felony for assault with a deadly weapon, so her sentencing was harsher.
She got 85 years in prison, he got 20.
Of the sentencing, Jonathan and Josephs mother,Krista Bishop, saidwe got what we needed.
Prior to his visit with his father and stepmother, Jonathan James was a healthy 10-year-old boy.
He loved Cub Scouts, swimming, riding his bike and was close with his twin brother Joseph.
