09/10/2026
There is a serious gap in Wisconsin’s juvenile justice statutes—one that has directly affected my family and now threatens to undermine accountability in the most devastating case of my life.
My son, Jaxon Robert Hunter, was born on April 6, 2018. He was a happy, bright-eyed baby who brought joy to everyone around him. On October 30, 2018, when he was just shy of seven months old, Jaxon was sleeping peacefully in a playpen at his daycare. While the other children were outside, a 10‑year‑old girl entered the home, picked him up, dropped him, and then stomped on his head at least seven times. After the assault, she returned outside to play as if nothing had happened.
Jaxon was rushed to the hospital and later airlifted to Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul. Despite the tireless efforts of medical staff, his injuries were catastrophic. On November 1, 2018, at 7:58 p.m., Jaxon passed away in his mother’s arms while holding my hand.
The girl responsible was adjudicated as a juvenile. Her disposition is scheduled to expire in April 2027. However, she absconded from custody in October 2024 and has remained at large since that time. I was informed that, under current Wisconsin juvenile law, her statutory release date cannot be extended or tolled to account for the period she has been unlawfully absent. I was also told that current statutes do not provide a mechanism to impose additional accountability—such as escape or absconding charges—that would extend her supervision or disposition beyond the original end date.
In practical terms, this means a juvenile can evade the consequences of their adjudication simply by absconding until the statutory expiration date passes. In Jaxon's case, it means the individual responsible for my his death could avoid years of court ordered supervision by remaining missing until April 2027.
To all politicians running in this years elections, I am personally requesting your consideration in reviewing this issue and exploring potential legislative solutions. Specifically, I ask whether the Legislature could examine options such as:
Allowing juvenile dispositions to be tolled or extended for the duration of an absconding period
Creating a statutory escape/absconding offense applicable to juveniles
Providing a mechanism for additional accountability when a juvenile intentionally evades custody or supervision
I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to meet with any of you to discuss this matter further, share the information I have received from state agencies, and better understand the legislative process for addressing gaps of this nature.
To those making a choice on November 3rd, I encourage you to consider this issue when choosing to elect a candidate on either side.
Tom Tiffany David Crowley Derrick Van Orden Representative Clint Moses WEAU 13 News WQOW News 18 Fox News Inside Edition
