AUTUMN ELGERSMA - 3 yo / Accused: Rochelle Sapp, caregiver - Orange City, IA

Daycare worker 'threw 3-year-old Autumn to the ground with such force she killed her - all because the little girl didn't want to take her coat off'

A woman running a daycare centre in Iowa has been charged in the death of a 3-year-old girl who she ‘threw to the ground’ because she refused to take off her coat.

The Orange City toddler, Autumn Elgersma, daughter of Phillip and Jennifer Elgersma, died on Thursday from her head injuries after two days in hospital.

The child was injured in the home of Rochelle Lynn Sapp, 33, who runs a daycare centre at her home in 706 10th Street SE, in eastern Orange City, according to police.

Court documents say Sapp called the girl’s mother shortly after 9am and told her Autumn had fallen down the stairs.

Mrs Elgersma picked up her daughter immediately and brought her to the Orange City hospital where she was diagnosed with a head injury, according to KTIV.

The girl was airlifted to the Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls in North Dakota where doctors discovered the child suffered a fractured skull and brain trauma.


Tragic: Autumn Elgersma, 3, died from head injuries after being 'thrown to the floor' by a woman running a daycare centre

Admitted: Rochelle Lynn Sapp, 33, who runs a daycare centre in Orange City, Iowa, told police she got angry when Autumn refused to remove her coat

Devastated: Autumn's parents, Phillip and Jennifer Elgersma, lost their little girl after dropping her off at a daycare centre

Deadly daycare: Autumn was injured in the home of Rochelle Sapp, 33, who runs a daycare centre at 706 10th Street SE, in eastern Orange City

Authorities say Autumn died two days later.

According to Orange City Police Chief, Jim Pottebaum, Sapp later admitted that she threw the girl to the floor after she refused to take off her coat.

Sapp was originally charged with Willful Injury and Child Endangerment Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.

Chief Pottebaum said those charges will be amended because of the child's death.

'Accident': Sapp told Autumn's mother, Jennifer Elgersma initially that the girl had fallen down the stairs

Autumn's parents issued a statement Friday afternoon saying the family was deeply saddened by the loss of their little girl.

Huge loss: The little girl's parents said Autumn was 'a joy in our lives'

‘Autumn was a joy in our lives and we are blessed to have called her ours. We take comfort in the fact that she is now with her Savior, Jesus Christ.’

A celebration of life service will be held Tuesday, November 5, at 11:00am, at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Orange City.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2486873/Rochelle-Sapp-33-threw-3-year-old-Autumn-Elgersma-force-killed-her.html

Sad another little angel gone.  Bet this woman won't get the death penalty.  William

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
An Orange City, Iowa toddler has died from head injuries police say came at the hands of her daycare provider.

Three-year old Autumn Elgersma died Thursday, October 31 at the Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

She's the daughter of Phillip and Jennifer Elgersma.  Their daycare provider now faces several charges.

Police said the child was injured in the home of Rochelle Sapp at 706 10th Street SE, on the eastern edge of Orange City, Iowa.

It's the location of an "in home" daycare run by the 33-year-old Sapp.

Shortly after 9:00am on Tuesday, October 29, a criminal affidavit states Sapp called Jennifer Elgersma and told her Autumn had fallen down the stairs.

The mother took Autumn from the home and brought her to the Orange City hospital where she was diagnosed with a head injury.

The girl was airlifted to a Sioux Falls hospital where doctors discovered the child suffered a fractured skull and brain trauma.

Authorities say Autumn died two days later.

According to Orange City Police Chief Jim Pottebaum, Rochelle Sapp later admitted that she threw the girl to the floor after she refused to take off her coat.

Sapp was originally charged with Willful Injury and Child Endangerment Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.

Chief Pottebaum said those charges will be amended because of the child's death.

Philip and Jennifer Elgersma, Autumn's parents, issued a statement Friday afternoon:

"Our family is deeply saddened by the loss of our little girl. The prayers offered by others on our behalf are giving us the strength to get though this very difficult time. Autumn was a joy in our lives and we are blessed to have called her ours. We take comfort in the fact that she is now with her Savior, Jesus Christ.  We ask for your continued thoughts and prayers for our family."

A celebration of life service will be held Tuesday, November 5, at 11:00am, at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Orange City.

Visitation starts at 4:00pm on Monday, with the family present from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, at the church.

http://www.ktiv.com/story/23856749/2013/11/01/orange-city-toddler-dead-after-daycare-provider-admits-throwing-child-to-the-floor

Charges dropped in child’s death after day care injury; new charges possible

Posted on: 10:22 am, November 8, 2013, by CNN

By Stephen Loiaconi

(HLNtv.com) — Saying that child endangerment charges no longer fit, prosecutors have dropped all charges against an Iowa day care provider accused of fatally injuring a 3-year-old girl because the child would not take off her coat.

However, Rochelle Sapp, 33, could face new charges related to Autumn Elgersma’s October 31 death once investigators receive final autopsy results, Iowa Department of Public Safety Special Agent in Charge Mitch Mortvedt said.

A cause and manner of death have not officially been determined yet, Mortvedt said Thursday, and additional laboratory testing could take two to four weeks.

Sapp had been charged with child endangerment resulting in serious injury and willful injury to a child. At the request of Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister, a judge dismissed those charges without prejudice Wednesday.

“Further investigation is needed before the State can initiate new charges arising out of the death” of Autumn Elgersma, McAllister wrote in the motion to dismiss.

According to court documents, Sapp was caring for Autumn in her Orange City home on the morning of October 29. She allegedly called the girl’s mother around 9:10 a.m. and told her Autumn had fallen down the stairs.

Autumn’s mother went to Sapp’s house to pick her daughter up and took her to a local hospital, a probable cause affidavit states. Autumn was diagnosed with a head injury and airlifted to Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Doctors there diagnosed Autumn with a skull fracture and brain swelling. She died two days later.

The motion to dismiss the charges alleges that the injuries suffered in Sapp’s care led to Autumn’s death.

After examining Autumn, Sanford Hospital staff contacted police because her injuries were not consistent with Sapp’s alleged explanation, according to the affidavit.

Sapp was then interviewed by Orange City police. The affidavit alleges that Sapp admitted to causing Autumn’s injuries by throwing her to the floor because she would not take off her coat.

Mortvedt said Thursday that once Autumn died, the original charges no longer could be applied to the circumstances of the case. It is now a death investigation, although the death has not been ruled a homicide.

According to Mortvedt, medical examiners are still performing lab tests, and it could still be weeks before results are in.
“We’re at the mercy, so to say, of the medical examiner’s office,” Mortvedt said.

Attempts by HLN to reach Sapp for comment on the case were unsuccessful, and court records did not indicate whether she has retained an attorney.

A celebration of life service was held for Autumn on Tuesday at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Orange City.

“We would have liked to see her grow up, go to kindergarten, be involved in more of the ministries of this church, as of course her parents must feel much more,” the Rev. John Klompien said at the service, according to KTIV.

Autumn loved church, “Jesus music” and spending time with her family and friends, according to her obituary.

“Some of her favorite things were riding her trike, playing games, watching Dora, and playing dress-up with her best friend,” the obituary states.

Autumn’s parents, Phillip and Jennifer Elgersma, also released a statement after her death:
“Our family is deeply saddened by the loss of our little girl. The prayers offered by others on our behalf are giving us the strength to get through this very difficult time. Autumn was a joy in our lives and we are blessed to have called her ours. We take comfort in the fact that she is now with her Savior, Jesus Christ. We ask for your continued thoughts and prayers for our family.”


http://fox13now.com/2013/11/08/charges-dropped-in-childs-death-after-day-care-injury-new-charges-possible/

Daycare worker charged with murder after she 'threw 3-year-old to the ground with such force she killed her - all because the little girl didn't want to take her coat off'

A childminder has been charged with murdering a three-year-old because the little girl 'refused to take her coat off'.

Rochelle Lynn Sapp, 33, is accused of throwing Autumn Elgersma down with such force it fractured her skull.

The Orange City youngster, died in November from her head injuries after two days in hospital.

But police have now charged Sapp with first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death.

The tragedy unfolded at 10th Street SE, in eastern Orange City, the home of Sapp, where she ran a daycare centre, according to police.

Sapp had initially claimed Autumn had fallen down some stairs but later admitted she had attacked the youngster, a senior police officer has said.

Autumn's parents Phillip and Jennifer paid an emotional tribute to their beloved daughter at the time of her death.

‘Autumn was a joy in our lives and we are blessed to have called her ours.

'We take comfort in the fact that she is now with her Savior, Jesus Christ.’

Court documents say Sapp called the girl’s mother shortly after 9am and told her Autumn had fallen down the stairs.

Tragic: Autumn Elgersma, 3, died from head injuries after being 'thrown to the floor' by a woman running a daycare centre

Admitted: Rochelle Lynn Sapp, 33, who runs a daycare centre in Orange City, Iowa, told police she got angry when Autumn refused to remove her coat

Devastated: Autumn's parents, Phillip and Jennifer Elgersma, lost their little girl after dropping her off at a daycare centre

Deadly daycare: Autumn was injured in the home of Rochelle Sapp, 33, who runs a daycare centre at 706 10th Street SE, in eastern Orange City

Mrs Elgersma picked up her daughter immediately and brought her to the Orange City hospital where she was diagnosed with a head injury, according to KTIV.

The girl was airlifted to the Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls in North Dakota where doctors discovered the child suffered a fractured skull and brain trauma.

Sapp had initially been charged with Willful Injury and Child Endangerment Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.

'Accident': Sapp told Autumn's mother, Jennifer Elgersma initially that the girl had fallen down the stairs

Sioux County Attorney Coleman McAllister said: 'In this case the initial charges were based on the medical evidence and opinion available to the state at that time.

'Upon Autumn's death, the circumstances changed.

'The medical examiner's office in Des Moines took time to make sure they did a thorough and complete examination and we like everybody else was waiting for them to render an opinion for us to evaluate so we could move forward with charges.'

Sapp was placed in Sioux County Jail while the investigation into the incident was investigated.

She is due to appear a judge and a bond was set at $250,000, according to Mr McAllister.

According to Orange City Police Chief, Jim Pottebaum, Sapp told detectives that she threw the girl to the floor after she refused to take off her coat.

Huge loss: The little girl's parents said Autumn was 'a joy in our lives'

Now we'll see how long it will take to see justice.  William