Father pleads guilty in torture, starvation death of son

ANNVILLE, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania father about to stand trial on charges he tortured and starved his 12-year-old son before the boy died has pleaded guilty to several charges and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Scott Schollenberger Jr. pleaded guilty Thursday to charges that included criminal homicide, child endangerment and conspiracy for both counts. The 43-year-old Annville man’s trial had been scheduled to start March 14. Schollenberger and his 36-year-old fiancée, Kimberly Maurer, were both accused in September 2020 of imprisoning his son in a darkened room for years, starving him and beating him while treating their other children well. Maurer remains jailed and is due to stand trial next month.