JOSEPH RINEHART - 2 yo - Franklin Cty/ KS border NE

Story Created: May 14, 2012 at 4:55 PM CDT

Three members of a Franklin County family are charged in the death of a toddler. They all had their first appearance in court Monday.

Autopsy results show that 2-year-old Joseph Rinehart died of head and internal injuries caused by blunt force trauma.

The mother of the boy, Laura Rinehart, and his grandparents, Peter and Nancy Draper, are all being charged with child abuse resulting in death, a class 1-b felony.

If convicted, they could each spend 20 years to life in prison.

Joseph Rinehart Sr., the toddler's father, says he believes that all the children in the home were subject to abuse and neglect by their mother.

Rinehart Sr. does not have any allegations against him, but he is seeking custody of his other three children.

Draper and Peter Rinehart both requested a reduction in bond, but were declined.

Bond remains at $250,000 for each.

Preliminary hearings for the three are set for May 29th at 3:00pm.

http://www.khastv.com/news/local/Franklin-County-family-members-charged-in-death-of-toddler-151446985.html

Boy's father: Charges 'fit crimes'

Tony Herrman; therrman@hastingstribune.com
May 15, 2012

FRANKLIN — The father of a 2-year-old Naponee boy who died in late April says he is working to obtain full custody of his three other children and has been doing so for nearly a year.

Joseph Rinehart Sr., 29, appeared in Franklin County Court Monday afternoon with his attorney, Richard Calkins of Alma, for a custody hearing with County Court Judge Michael Offner.

Joseph Rinehart Jr. was brought to Franklin County Memorial Hospital in Franklin about 8 p.m. April 30. The boy was found to be unresponsive when he arrived at the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A May 2 autopsy showed he had died of head and internal injuries caused by blunt force trauma. The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of his mother and his maternal grandparents, who share a home in Naponee.

http://www.hastingstribune.com/may/news0515rinehart.php

Benefit helps father of toddler who died

Posted: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 12:15 pm
Updated: 12:11 pm, Wed May 30, 2012.

WILCOX — The Wilcox community will have a fundraiser Sunday to help the father of a Naponee boy who allegedly died from child abuse pay family-related expenses.

Joe Rinehart Sr. lives and works in Wilcox.

The Wilcox Lions Club, Volunteer Fire Department and Community Improvement Association will serve a hamburger and hot dog lunch from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Wilcox Lions Hall. Also on the menu are French fries, baked beans and an ice cream sundae bar.

Donations for the Rinehart family will be accepted during the meal or can be sent to Iowa-Nebraska Bank, P.O. Box 208, Wilcox, NE 68982.

Joseph Rinehart Jr. died April 30. His mother and maternal grandparents are charged with felony child abuse resulting in the death.

Preliminary hearings in Franklin County Court were this afternoon for Laura Rinehart, Nancy Draper and Peter Draper.

Three other Rinehart children between the ages of 1 and 4 are in protective custody of the state Department of Health and Human Services.

http://www.kearneyhub.com/news/local/benefit-helps-father-of-toddler-who-died/article_f794c8a8-a9b1-11e1-b89f-001a4bcf887a.html

Overzealous punishment resulted in death of Naponee boy

Tony Herrman, therrman@hastingstribune.com
May 30, 2012

FRANKLIN — An out-of-control temper that got the better of Peter Draper when disciplining his grandchildren led to the death of his 2-year-old grandson, an investigator testified Tuesday.

Draper’s wife and daughter may have less culpability in the April 30 death of Joseph Rinehart Jr., the investigator said, but as the only two other caretakers, they each showed negligence in care by doing nothing to stop the abuse.

Those characterizations of Joseph Jr.’s home life were shared during the preliminary hearings for the three defendants charged in the boy’s death.

County Court Judge Michael Offner found probable cause to send the cases against Peter Draper, Nancy Draper and Laura Rinehart to Franklin County District Court Tuesday evening.

The toddler’s mother, Laura Rinehart, 24; and maternal grandparents, Peter and Nancy Draper, both 47, all are charged with child abuse resulting in death — a Class 1B felony punishable by 20 years to life in prison.

http://www.hastingstribune.com/may/news0530naponee.php