Baby Elaina Jade Steinfurth was a beautiful child whose life was just beginning. Like every child, Elaina deserved to be protected, to be cared for, and to be loved. Elaina fought hard to walk. Elaina worked hard to talk. This lovely, brave, little girl had a name. She will not be depersonalized or in any way reduced to a nameless cypher when someone refers to her as "the child". Over the last three months, thousands of people have come to know just who Elaina was. They know her name and believe that Elaina Steinfurth deserves justice.
You say, Mybelle, that you base your opinion that the grandparents didn't try to keep Elaina in a better environment "on the fact that the child is dead". First of all, they would have had to know that AS planned to take them to an unsuitable residence. CC confirmed that TJ agreed AS could have time with their two daughters "with the promise that she would not take them to SK's. They were supposed to stay at RS's." Although other people offered homes in which she could stay, and against the advice of RS and MS, AS broke her promise to TJ, and took her daughters to SK's home. CC has also confirmed that AS had previously approached TJ about giving up her claim to custody of their two daughters since she could not properly look after them. However, until AS handed TJ the paperwork, AS and TJ held joint custody of their children. In other words AS was still responsible for the well being of her children while they were under her control. The only grandparent who had any knowledge that AS had broken her agreement with TJ, and was planning to take her children to an unsuitable environment was RS. The other grandparents would have assumed, as did TJ, that the children were in a suitable environment with RS.
Elaina's death came about, not because of the actions or neglect of her grandparents. By her own admission, AS did not look after her baby properly. On June 12, 2013, a document was filed in Toledo Municipal Court that states: "Angela J. Steinfurth did violate a duty of care, protection and support with respect to her minor child (information here redacted) 18 months of age. Angela J. Steinfurth did admit to law enforcement officers that she was aware that her minor child had sustained serious physical injury and that her minor child required medical treatment. Angela J. Steinfurth further admitted that she failed to ensure that her minor child received the necessary medical treatment for said injury." This information suggests that Elaina's injuries to were treatable, and, that if she had received the proper medical attention in a timely manner, Elaina would still be alive. The person responsible for obtaining the medical treatment was the parent who had custody of Elaina at that time and who knew about Elain'as injuries is AS. Elaina had received those injuries from someone who has yet to be named by LE some time after leaving TJ's care. This little girl who had to have therapy so she could learn to walk, could not possibly defend herself against someone who had attained his or her physical maturity. (
http://toledoblade.typepad.com/ridealong/2013/06/when-all-you-can-do-is-wait-and-watch.html) (AS accused SK of hurting Elaina.
http://www.northwestohio.com/news/story.aspx?id=909305#.Ukp6TeDPbtU) AS's only job that weekend was to protect and nurture her children while she had them. By her own admission, SHE DID NEITHER.
You further state that you base your opinion "on the fact that the mother has not been charged with murder." I haven't accused AS of murder, but, IMO, AS made choices that ultimately led to the death of Baby Elaina. I think that when a woman chooses to take her children into a chaotic environment (as shown in photographs of the room in which Elaina was "seen",
http://www.hlntv.com/video/2013/06/19/video-shows-house-where-elaina-was-last-seen), she bears the responsibility for what happens to her children. It appears, IMO, that AS made no provisions regarding the safety of her children while they were in SK's house. AS did not inform TJ about Elaina's injuries or about where she had taken the children. Although she may or may not have injured Elaina herself, AS had the responsibility to take her daughter for treatment as soon as SHE knew Elaina was hurt, and she did not. (
http://www.toledoblade.com/Police-Fire/2013/06/14/Mom-accused-of-not-getting-help.html) These actions by AS placed Elaina in a deadly situation.
ELAINA was injured, not AS! ELAINA was one of the victims in that house. IMO, there was another victim, and it was not AS. The other victim, IMO, was KS because she was, IIRC, quite possibly in the room where her baby sister lay dying from lack of care. Being held accountable by LE for the results of her choices does not make AS a victim. Your assertion that AS might be a battered woman might be true, although it seems highly doubtful. However, RS has a different times claimed that unnamed people threatened AS that she would be next if she told LE about the crime. (
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/06/18/baby-elainas-dad-recalls-day-she-disappeared) That makes no sense to me. When AS was in the protective custody of LE, and, therefore, safe from retribution from these people (if they existed), she could have been more forthcoming about the circumstances surrounding Elaina's injuries and death. Instead, she chose to lie to her cellmate and fabricate a story about wrapping Elaina in a blanket and throwing her body into the river. (
http://www.northwestohio.com/news/story.aspx?id=912670#.UkqISeDPbtU)
Contributing to the death of a baby may not be murder, but, if I understand the terms correctly, it may still be considered a homicide. On September 19th, the NG show focused on this case. Dr. Bill Monion, M.D., Medical Examiner, Burlington County, NJ was asked to comment on how he would determine the COD if he was examining the skeletal remains of Elaina. "If I had this case," he responded, "I would rule it a homicide because I have no other reason to believe why this child died. There's no other history of severe disease..nothing to suggest this child had any congenital defects that would cause its death." (Homicide refers to the lawful or unlawful killing of another human being.) Voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, negligent homicide, vehicular homicide have specific definitions just as aggravated murder and murder do. Endangering a child, putting a child in harm's way, is, IMO, a contributing factor in a child's death. Although AS had been charged with child endangerment, that charge was dropped. She is currently in jail awaiting trial on an obstruction of justice charge although it is possible that this and/or other charges may also be brought against her in the future.
For example, permitting child abuse is also a felony offence. An acceptable defence would be that a person took timely and reasonable steps to obtain aid. Since AS did not obtain any aid, and, in fact, prevented aid from being given to her daughter, she could not use that particular defence should she be charged in this regard. As well, in Ohio abuse of a human corpse is also an offence. My guess is that it's possible that putting a baby's corpse into a box and hiding it in garbage, not allowing that baby to receive a proper burial, would outrage both family and community sensibilities--and AS could certainly be charged with this offence too. Covering up a crime, lying to police, lying to family members, lying to the community at large may or may not bring charges from LE, but they definitely have consequences. AS may even have gone so far as manufacturing evidence to keep LE on a wild goose chase. (
http://toledoblade.typepad.com/ridealong/2013/06/when-all-you-can-do-is-wait-and-watch.html)
People present differing opinions and theories about cases in Websleuths's discussion threads. Sometimes other posters agree with a particular theory, and sometimes they don't. The piling on you mention, may simply mean that, on this thread, many people have come to similar conclusions or are asking similar questions about this case. Differing opinions about several aspects on this case have been posted on all seven threads. Judging from the disagreements still being posted regarding the CA case and the JBR case, differing opinions on this case may be posted for some time to come.
We are one day closer to finding Justice for Elaina.
If I have misrepresented any facts or actions in this post, it was unintentional. Please let me know so that I can make necessary corrections ASAP. The opinions expressed are my own. Mods, please snip as needed if I've broken any rules in this post.
