A Massachusetts couple was sentenced to prison on Wednesday for their roles in the death of their 10-month-old foster son, whom they neglected to seek medical care for despite clear signs of serious illness. Superior Court Judge Tracy Duncan ordered Matthew Tucker and Cassandra Barlow-Tucker, both of Adams, to serve three to five years in a state correctional facility after convictions for involuntary manslaughter and reckless child endangerment.
Judge Tracy Duncan delivered the sentences following a jury verdict last month that found the couple guilty on both counts. The judge staggered the terms, with Cassandra Barlow-Tucker serving first, followed by Matthew Tucker, in consideration of their four children. Both will serve probation afterward—Tucker for five years and Barlow-Tucker for three—and are permanently barred from foster parenting or caregiving roles for children. Prosecutors had sought five years in prison plus probation, while the defense requested no incarceration time. The convictions relate to the February 18, 2020, death of Kristoff Zenopolous, the couple's foster son. Medical experts testified that the infant succumbed to treatable conditions: a strep infection, bronchopneumonia, and empyema. Prosecutors highlighted that the child showed symptoms for weeks, yet the parents ignored obvious signs and left him unattended for about 14 hours before finding him unresponsive. Assistant District Attorney Andrew Covington stated, 'No sentence can undo the loss of this child. This was an avoidable and deeply tragic case.' He added that the child 'should be celebrating his seventh birthday next month' but died at 10 months due to the parents' failure to act. Defense attorneys countered that the infant had preexisting respiratory problems and that the couple followed prior medical advice to monitor him at home amid a household illness. The jury rejected this, deeming the inaction criminal negligence.