Defendants Sentenced for Abusing 2-Year-Old Boy

DATE: June 8, 2022

CASE: Yanik Kryshtal & Laura Freitas (Case #20FE018266)

PROSECUTOR: Deputy District Attorney Stephanie Aarseth, Special Assault & Child Abuse Unit

The Honorable Shelleyanne Chang sentenced Yanik Kryshtal to 12 years and 8 months in prison. Laura Freitas was sentenced to 180 days county jail and 4 years formal probation. On April 8, 2022, Kryshtal pled to three counts of felony child abuse and admitted to personally inflicting great bodily injury. Freitas pled to one count of felony child abuse.

On June 13, 2020, a 2-year-old boy was taken to the hospital with numerous bruises all over his body.  A CT scan confirmed he suffered blunt force trauma and had fluid around his pancreas, healed linear scars, burns on his leg, injuries inside his mouth, skin abrasions and burns on his hands.  Child abuse doctors opined the injuries were not accidental. Witnesses confirmed Kryshtal hit and kicked the victim, sometimes using a belt or dog leash.  Kryshtal also locked the victim in dog crates as a form of discipline, and on at least one occasion had the victim sleep outside in a dog crate overnight.  Kryshtal tied the victim’s arms or legs to door knobs and crib railings with handcuffs, dog leashes and necklaces. Freitas was aware of the abuse and also put the victim in dog crates as a form of punishment. Sacramento County sheriff’s detectives found that Kryshtal also poured boiling water on the feet of a 3-year-old girl in 2014, which resulted in permanent scarring.