GUILTY DE - Smyrna, Wht/HispFemale, 2-5, 'Baby Elle', ball field, 13 Sept 2019 - Emma Cole *arrests*

[10ofRods]

Couple jailed in connection with toddler’s remains found at Delaware softball field last year

Both members of the couple, containing Haas, have been jailed in connection with the death of this child.

The pictures of the pair, given what happened, really are jarring.

 

[10ofRods]

I am so glad that beautiful little Emma got her name back! Now we just need justice for her, even if it is for not reporting a death. No child deserves that kind of treatment. She was a beautiful little child & she is probably a very beautiful angel now. Kudos to the investigators & others that worked so diligently to give this little sweetie her name back. God Bless!

Justice for this child seems paramount, it really needs to be brought to a successful conclusion and recognized widely for the tragedy that it is.

 

[MoeInVA]

Both Brandon and Kristie Haas waived preliminary hearings and Brandon Haas had a 30 minute closed door hearing Nov 13th. The cases are now transferred to superior court. No future court dates set as of this article Nov 13th...

Haas child-endangerment case transferred to Delaware Superior Court - Delaware State News

"Details remained sparse Friday as the case of a former Smyrna resident charged after a child’s remains were found last year was transferred to Superior Court.

After Brandon L. Haas, 38, waived his preliminary hearing in the Court of Common Pleas, a Delaware Department of Justice motion to close the courtroom was approved by Judge Anne Hartnett Reigle and a 30-minute hearing commenced behind closed doors."


...

I am new to this case, but I thought this bit from the article was interesting about the timeline - BBM.

"On Oct. 13, Judge Reigle approved the state’s motion to keep records regarding Mr. Haas under seals. The judge ruled “that the state has met its burden under Court of Common Pleas Criminal Rule 55(A) and shown good cause for the record to be kept under seal.”

Justice of the Peace Judges Alexander Montano and Christopher A. Bradley approved Smyrna police requests to seal warrants for Mr. Haas on Sept. 29 and Ms. Haas on Oct. 15, according to records."

Was a warrant issued for Mr. Haas first and did he talk to them in the lead up to issuing an arrest warrant for Ms. Haas? Obviously there is a big discrepancy in bail between the two despite initially facing the same charges.

 

[Subiechik21]

Today would have been little Emma's 5th birthday. Happy birthday in heaven little angel!

 

[Raynebowtaster]

Omg! Idk how I missed it but BH might have his bond revoked soon....
Documents unsealed in Smyrna child death case

 

[PayrollNerd]

Omg! Idk how I missed it but BH might have his bond revoked soon....
Documents unsealed in Smyrna child death case

So they were caught on video but it was a tip that led them the parents. The husband is not the biological father to any of the 4 kids.


“Police allege in the affidavit that the child’s remains were apparently taken to the Little Lass field area in early September 2019, which was captured on video from a security camera at Smyrna Middle School on the other side of Duck Creek Parkway where the softball complex is located.

A Smyrna police detective said in the affidavit that “a mid sized passenger car (was observed) entering the complex at (12:14 a.m.) and (leaving) at 1:37 a.m. on a date in the first week of September.

“A figure appearing to be the size of an adult human being could be observed outside the vehicle during this time frame.”

 

[Grungster]

I’d like to think they didn’t kill her...

 

[Grungster]

But people on Brandon Haas’ Facebook page were saying “I can’t believe you were capable of doing such a thing”

 

[MoeInVA]

Omg! Idk how I missed it but BH might have his bond revoked soon....
Documents unsealed in Smyrna child death case

Thanks for sharing! This does not come up in my google search results at all for some reason. I never would have seen it!

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Brandon Haas, 39, and Kristie Haas, 28, were indicted Monday afternoon on charges including First Degree Child Abuse and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, with the possibility of additional charges, officials said Tuesday.

“The road ahead is still long, but this indictment is a major step toward justice for Emma,” said Attorney General KathyJennings. “No crime is more heinous, more offensive to all we hold dear than the abuse of a child; and in a community as tight-knit as Smyrna, I know how deeply shocking and disturbing this case has been. Nothing we can do will bring Emma back, but we owe it to her, to her community, and to every child in this state to hold the defendants accountable for their actions. Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement, our state and federal partners, and the dedicated staff of the Department of Justice, we are one step closer.”
Officials: Mom, Stepfather Indicted In Little Emma’s Case

 

[Raynebowtaster]

Brandon Haas, 39, and Kristie Haas, 28, were indicted Monday afternoon on charges including First Degree Child Abuse and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, with the possibility of additional charges, officials said Tuesday.

“The road ahead is still long, but this indictment is a major step toward justice for Emma,” said Attorney General KathyJennings. “No crime is more heinous, more offensive to all we hold dear than the abuse of a child; and in a community as tight-knit as Smyrna, I know how deeply shocking and disturbing this case has been. Nothing we can do will bring Emma back, but we owe it to her, to her community, and to every child in this state to hold the defendants accountable for their actions. Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement, our state and federal partners, and the dedicated staff of the Department of Justice, we are one step closer.”
Officials: Mom, Stepfather Indicted In Little Emma’s Case

Does anyone know if the indictment will change Brandon's bail status

 

[MsMarple]

Does anyone know if the indictment will change Brandon's bail status

As of April 6 it looks like he's under home confinement:
Brandon Haas has been out on bail since October and is under home confinement awaiting trial. Kristie Haas is being held at Baylor Women's Correctional Institute.
New charges filed against couple in connection to Emma Cole's case

Other info from the article:

The Delaware Department of Justice this week indicted Brandon and Kristie Haas, Emma's stepfather and mother, on first-degree child abuse and endangering the welfare of a child charges.

Kristie Haas also was indicted on charges of abusing a corpse and reckless burning.

The indictment also accused the couple of endangering Emma and her three siblings through excessive forced exercise and inappropriate discipline. More charges are possible, according to the Justice Department.
...
New charges against the couple also include hindering prosecution. Charging documents say they suppressed physical evidence, "which might aid in the lodging of a criminal charge" against Kristie Haas, "whom they knew had committed acts constituting a felony."​

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Makes me sick. [I deleted additional comments but y'all know what I'm thinking.]

 

[PayrollNerd]

As of April 6 it looks like he's under home confinement:
Brandon Haas has been out on bail since October and is under home confinement awaiting trial. Kristie Haas is being held at Baylor Women's Correctional Institute.
New charges filed against couple in connection to Emma Cole's case

Other info from the article:

The Delaware Department of Justice this week indicted Brandon and Kristie Haas, Emma's stepfather and mother, on first-degree child abuse and endangering the welfare of a child charges.

Kristie Haas also was indicted on charges of abusing a corpse and reckless burning.

The indictment also accused the couple of endangering Emma and her three siblings through excessive forced exercise and inappropriate discipline. More charges are possible, according to the Justice Department.
...
New charges against the couple also include hindering prosecution. Charging documents say they suppressed physical evidence, "which might aid in the lodging of a criminal charge" against Kristie Haas, "whom they knew had committed acts constituting a felony."​

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Makes me sick. [I deleted additional comments but y'all know what I'm thinking.]

Those poor kids. I hope they were not witness to the baby’s demise. Lordy being abused by those who are supposed to keep you safe is bad enough.

 

[cocomod]

If they didn't kill her, but she died from her illnesses, why in the world would they burn her? Nope, they are just evil IMO

 

[Lusitana]

The other children also got abused, so I don't think she died of her health issues. It's highly possible that she would've still be alive if she didn't have health related issues, but her death was ulimately caused by the abuse and neglect. Poor baby, she was already sick and they still abused her...

 

[cvaldez1975]

Interesting. If ever a baby should have been adopted out, Emma deserved to be. She likely would still be alive.

correct me if im wrong, but she got custody of her back less than a year before she died?

 

[PayrollNerd]

correct me if im wrong, but she got custody of her back less than a year before she died?

The Guardianship ended 9/2017 but I don’t know that we have an exact date of death but Emma was likely 2 years old, maybe?

 

[melodyl]

This is amazing. But I wonder really what happened. If she had a chronic illness and if she died on her poor caretakers, I don't think they should be charged. If they intentionally did this (Which I think is more likely, as the chronic illness may have been from abuse) then they should learn a lesson, and a HARD one.

I have to disagree. Throwing away a child is at the very least immoral & thankfully illegal, no matter how she died. What kind of parent wouldn't want her laid to rest properly? Documented or not, there are no excuses for burning a body and throwing it away like trash.

 

[Grungster]

I have to disagree. Throwing away a child is at the very least immoral & thankfully illegal, no matter how she died. What kind of parent wouldn't want her laid to rest properly? Documented or not, there are no excuses for burning a body and throwing it away like trash.

You are right. I apologize for that. I said that before the identities of Brandon and Kristie were released. What they did was disgusting.

 

[melodyl]

You are right. I apologize for that. I said that before the identities of Brandon and Kristie were

You are right. I apologize for that. I said that before the identities of Brandon and Kristie were released. What they did was disgusting.

No apology needed. Without knowing the whole story it's sometimes easy to want to give everyone an out.