Man with insatiable hunger disorder convicted for food thefts, burglaries

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF. - A Pismo Beach man, whose rare genetic disorder compelled him to commit burglaries for food out of uncontrollable hunger, avoided a felony conviction Tuesday after accepting a plea deal from the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.

Tyler Jarvis, 20, pleaded no contest to five misdemeanors, including counts of petty theft, aggravated trespass and attempted trespass. Under the conditions of his plea, he will receive no jail time and three years of probation if he enrolls in a group home for people with his disorder, which he is expected to do some time after Nov. 21.

Jarvis has a rare chromosomal disorder called Prader-Willi syndrome. Because of the disorder, Jarvis has a constant sensation of hunger, a life-threatening medical condition that compels him to constantly seek food.

Although his mother locks up their edibles to prevent Jarvis from eating himself to death, his insatiable appetite drove him to seek food elsewhere, his defense attorney said.

Last fall, Jarvis entered three different homes, stealing food and items he would need to live on his own, including a sleeping bag, a backpack and cash. Jarvis, who has the IQ of a 10-year-old, said he believed he could eat as much as he wanted if he were homeless.

His mother, Michelle Christian, had been seeking a group home for her son for the past four years, she said. But because the disorder is so rare, finding one that specialized in Prader-Willi syndrome was difficult. And once she did find one, the pending criminal case interfered with her efforts.

Although she hoped the case would be dropped, the District Attorney’s Office expressed concern that Jarvis would commit more burglaries, endangering himself and the victims. He initially faced three felonies for residential burglaries.

In court, before he formally entered his plea, Jarvis grew impatient — and hungry.

“I want this to be done, so I can get home for a snack,” he told his mother.

sassy wrote:So do I.  Years ago, when I first moved to Taunton in Somerset I temped for a little while, and worked at the Banardo's School for children with problems (later the government decided that they should all go to normal schools) and one of the girls there had Prader-Willi syndrome.  It was a permanent battle to keep her away from food.  You couldn't have your lunchbox on the desk and they had to keep the food cupboards locked.  They had a special meal plan for her so that she had something every hour, trying to give her the right amount and the right food over the course of 24 hrs, she used to wake up in the night and go looking for food.  It never stops, all their lives.

Ben_Reilly wrote:

sassy wrote:So do I.  Years ago, when I first moved to Taunton in Somerset I temped for a little while, and worked at the Banardo's School for children with problems (later the government decided that they should all go to normal schools) and one of the girls there had Prader-Willi syndrome.  It was a permanent battle to keep her away from food.  You couldn't have your lunchbox on the desk and they had to keep the food cupboards locked.  They had a special meal plan for her so that she had something every hour, trying to give her the right amount and the right food over the course of 24 hrs, she used to wake up in the night and go looking for food.  It never stops, all their lives.

Being truly hungry and not being able to sate it is like torture -- this is the first I'd heard of this disorder. My country, of course, responds by throwing him in jail