Chesco Man Accused In 2014 Torture, Beating Death Of Three-Year-Old Gets New Attorney

One of the two people who have been charged with the 2014 torturing and beating to death a 3-year-old Chester County boy has a new attorney, according to court documents.

Gary Fellenbaum and Jillian Tait are charged with the murder of Tait’s son, Scott McMillan, 3, the District Attorney’s Office said.

Scott was tortured for days with aluminum siding, a metal rod, a frying pan, a homemade whip and fists, while he was at various points hung from his feet and taped to a chair, authorities said.

Fellenbaum's hiring of the new attorney, George Yacoubian, will not delay the progress of the trial, according to the Times Herald, which first reported the change.

The trial is reportedly on schedule to begin in May 2017.

Scott’s brother Ryan, 6, also was tortured, authorities said.

An 11-month-old infant also living in the West Caln Township mobile was unharmed.

Gary Fellenbaum told authorities that he felt Scott was disrespectful, and grew angry when the child refused to eat breakfast, which is what prompted the fatal beating.

Authorities were called to the home on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, where they found Scott dead. Scott had “bruises, lacerations and puncture wounds over significant portions of his body,” according to the affidavit.

Tait and Fellenbaum confessed that Scott had been “punched and beaten with blunt and sharp objects, whipped, taped to a chair with electrical tape and beaten, [and] hung up by his feet and beaten,” the affidavit says.

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Tait and Fellenbaum, who were a couple, lived in the mobile home with Fellenbaum’s estranged wife, Amber Fellenbaum. She is charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

Tait and Fellenbaum went car shopping and took a nap as the child lay dying, the affidavit says.

Tait and Fellenbaum have been charged with murder. Chester County District Attorney Thomas P. Hogan is seeking the death penalty.

Images of Gary Fellenbaum and Jillian Tait courtesy of the Chester County District Attorney’s Office.