A Billings mother pleaded not guilty Thursday to six felony charges related to the alleged abuse of her children, including her 4-year-old son who was killed by his step father in 2021.
Lana Marie Harasymczuk, 38, was charged with three counts of child endangerment and three counts of child endangerment. The charges were filed Tuesday, one day before her husband, Kristopher Michael Harasymczuk, was sentenced to 80 years in prison for the deliberate homicide of her son, Jaxsynn Gatlin, who was beaten and drowned in a bathtub in October 2021.
According to court documents, Lana Harasymczuk had initially told police that her son had gotten into the bath on his own, and her husband was not present when he fell in and drowned.
Days later, after an autopsy found bruising on Jaxsynn and other signs of abuse, detectives interviewed Lana Harasymczuk a second time, and she changed her story, admitting that her husband was the last one in the bathroom with the boy before he died, according to court documents. She also said that he spanked three of her children with a metal spatula, according to court documents.
Detectives recovered the metal spatula in a dumpster, and it was broken, according to court documents.
Judge Jeanne Walker set bail at $100,000. In addition, Harsymczuk must wear GPS monitoring and avoid all contact with minors, including her children, and witnesses in the case.
Her next court date is set for Sept. 2.
Related: Billings man convicted of killing 4-year-old stepson sentenced to 90 years in prison
