KAYLEIGH SLUSHER - 3 yo - / Accused: Sara Krueger, mother - Scott Warner, boyfriend - Napa, CA

Mother and boyfriend facing murder charges after fleeing home where her three-year-old daughter was found dead


Sara Krueger, 23, and Scott Warner, 26, were arrested on Sunday in San Francisco after they were spotted at restaurant

Three-year-old girl's body found at home with blunt force trauma and possible sexual abuse

By Associated Press  PUBLISHED: 07:56 EST, 3 February 2014

A Northern California woman and her boyfriend were arrested on Sunday on suspicion of murder in her three-year-old daughter's death after someone recognized the wanted couple at a restaurant and tipped off authorities.

Sara Krueger, 23, and Scott Warner, 26, became subjects of an intense search in the San Francisco Bay Area after officers conducting a welfare check at Krueger's Napa apartment found the child's body in her bed on Saturday, Lt. Debbie Peecook said.

A few hours earlier, witnesses had seen Krueger and Warner leaving the apartment with luggage, police said.


Sara Krueger, 23, and Scott Warner, 26, became subjects of an intense search in the San Francisco Bay Area after officers conducting a welfare check at Krueger's Napa apartment found the child's body in her bed


Victim: Krueger's 3-year-old daughter (pictured) was found beaten and sexually assaulted in her bed

Someone who spotted the couple at a restaurant near a Bay Area Rapid Transit station on Sunday in the city of El Cerrito alerted police, and BART officers detained them, Peecook said.

BART police Lt. Gil Lopez said they were detained without incident at the station in El Cerrito, about 30 miles south of Napa.

They were questioned and booked on suspicion of murder with special circumstances and assault on a child resulting in death. Peecook said she didn't know whether they have retained an attorney.

The child, whose name was not released, showed signs of having been sexually assaulted and blunt force trauma, investigators said.

Her biological father, who is serving time at San Quentin State Prison, was notified of her death.


Neighbors said that the home had been the scene of multiple disturbances since Kreuger's boyfriend 26-year-old Scott Warner moved in

The property manager at Krueger's apartment building told the Napa Valley Register that in recent months, police visited the mother's residence for several disturbances, including late-night noise, slamming doors and neighbors reporting possible physical abuse of the child.

Warner 'moved in about 10 months ago, and it all went downhill from there,' Elizabeth Chechourka said.

'Management sent a letter to them about two and half weeks ago saying, ''The authorities know about you, and you need to shape up or you're gonna lose your housing,''' she added.

Peecook said Napa officers had made several welfare checks at Krueger's home, most recently last week but none of the visits resulted in an arrest.

She said she didn't know whether Napa County Child Protective Services had visited the apartment in response to any neighbors' complaints.

A family friend who often baby-sat the girl was baffled by news of the girl's death and her mother's arrest.

'Never saw her raise a hand to the girl. It was like pulling teeth getting her to somewhat discipline her,' Kindra Kunkel told reporters.

'This is not Sara; this is not the Sara I know," said Kunkel. "She fought so hard for her little girl.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2550909/Mother-boyfriend-fled-home-leaving-three-year-old-daughter-dead-bed-arrested.html

Poor little angel never had a chance.  Father in prison, bad boy friend, mother that let abuse take place, family service that did nothing.  Unfortunately CA does not have the death penalty.  My soul cries for the little angel.  William

Tragic: Little Kayleigh Slusher, pictured, was found dead in a bed in her mother's Napa home Saturday with blunt force trauma injuries and evidence of sexual assault


Grim: The three-year-old, pictured, was stored in a suitcase and then in a freezer for three days after they beat the child to death, police said Tuesday


Dead for days: The suspects told police they discovered Kayleigh dead late last week and had no idea how she died, the Napa Valley Register reported


Father: The child's father, Jason Slusher, is incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. He has been informed of his daughter's death

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2551887/Mother-boyfriend-stored-body-daughter-3-suitcase-FREEZER-three-days-beating-death.html

A few updates on the article.  William

Family, friends shocked after slaying of 3-year-old girl

Posted: 11:13 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014
By Debora Villalon, KTVU.com

NAPA, Calif. —  Normally quiet Napa was reeling Sunday from the murder of a 3-year-old girl over the weekend.

"It's shocking," Lt Debbie Peecook of the Napa Police told reporters. "Whether it's a violent community or a community such as ours, it's very sad".  

The victim, Kayleigh Slusher, lived with her mother and her mother's boyfriend in an apartment on Wilkins Avenue. She was found dead in her bed on Saturday, after neighbors saw the couple leaving the apartment with luggage, but without Kayleigh.

"Just thinking of that poor baby, laying in her bed dead or dying alone", apartment manager Elizabeth Chechourka told KTVU, visibly upset. "And her mom leaving like that, how do you do that?"

Napa Police put an alert out for 23 year old Sara Krueger and 26 year old Ryan Warner. Neither has a car. Sunday, they were spotted eating at a restaurant in El Cerrito, and apprehended at the Del Norte BART station by Bart Police. Napa officers returned them to Napa, and they are jailed, awaiting charges of homicide and murder with special circumstances.    

"Blunt force trauma, " elaborated Lt. Peecook, "and our follow up investigation indicated the child was also sexually assaulted."  

Those disclosures brought some of Sara Krueger's friends to tears.

"I can't believe it, I just can't. This is not Sara, this is not the girl I know, " said Kindra Kunkel, outside the police station. "She was a wonderful mother, that baby was her life."  

Kunkel is a former neighbor who remembers Krueger bringing Kayleigh home as a newborn, and doting on her.    

As recently as a year ago, friends say, Krueger was attending college with plans to become a pre-school teacher. Then, they say, she met a new boyfriend and he moved in.

Rumors of methamphetamine use later surfaced.  

"People were saying how big a loser he was," recalled friend Kaylee DeFreitas, "and no good for her, but I don't know if anyone tried to intervene."

"There's blankets on the window, and drug behavior, they became isolated," described building manager Chechourka. "Sara lost alot of weight, and she wouldn't look me in the eye. We never saw Kayleigh outside anymore riding her bike, and when we did see her, she was sad. She used to sparkle, but now she was like a little zombie."    

On Facebook, Ryan Warner lists his work as "trappin" - slang for drug dealing. Police say both he and Krueger have prior drug offenses, in Napa County and elsewhere. And neighbors have called officers to their apartment before.

"There may have been domestic violence but it was not reported by Sara, " explained Lt. Peecook. "No arrests resulted in any of those contacts."

The most recent visit by police was last week, but apparently they didn't see anything alarming about Kayleigh's welfare.

At a vigil attended by about 100 people, Kayleigh's grandfather wept as mourners came forward with hugs.

"You couldn't imagine what I'm going through, " said John Krueger. "The proudest moment of my life is gone forever and there's nothing we can do or say to bring her back, and I hope nobody ever has to go throught this; it's tough."

Kyleigh's father is incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, and police say he has been made aware of his daughter's death.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/family-friends-shocked-after-slaying-3-year-old-gi/ndBCg/

Updated: Suspects in 3-year-old’s death due in court
Father’s family likely to receive Kayleigh Slusher’s body

February 03, 2014 1:28 pm  
KEVIN COURTNEY


Kayleigh Slusher, who was found dead in her bed Saturday, Feb. 1, is seen in an undated photo. Family submitted photo

The suspects in the death of 3-year-old Kayleigh Slusher are likely to make their first court appearance Tuesday afternoon in Napa Superior Court.

The child’s mother, Sara Krueger, and her boyfriend, Ryan Scott Warner, continued to be held at the Napa County jail Monday while Napa Police prepared to ask the Napa County District Attorney’s Office to file murder charges.

An arraignment is likely at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, assuming that Napa County District Attorney Gary Lieberstein concludes there is probable cause to charge them, police said Monday afternoon.

While conducting a welfare check at her apartment, police said they found Kayleigh deceased in her bed early Saturday afternoon and observed signs of blunt force trauma and possible sexual assault.

Krueger, 23, and Warner, 26, had been spotted vacating the apartment several hours earlier. They were arrested Sunday afternoon at the El Cerrito del Norte BART station after a citizen reported spotting them at a nearby restaurant.

Kayleigh’s death and the subsequent search for Krueger and Warner — described at the time as persons of interest — caused considerable Bay Area media attention on Super Bowl Sunday, with Napa Police holding a press conference Sunday afternoon.

Lieberstein said Monday that his office was waiting for police to complete their investigation and submit the case for review.

An autopsy was conducted Monday afternoon on Kayleigh, with the coroner’s office likely to release the body to relatives on Tuesday, police said.

Because of a provision in the California Civil Code, it is likely that the body will be released to Kayleigh’s father’s relatives on the Slusher side of the family, Police Lt. Debbie Peecook said.

The code says that a parent accused of a crime resulting in a child’s death, as is the case with Kayleigh’s mother, loses parental rights to the body, Peecook said.

Kayleigh’s father, Jason Slusher, who is serving time at San Quentin Prison, is not connected to his daughter’s death, so his parents may get the body and the responsibility for funeral arrangements, she said.

Unaware of this situation, a friend of Kayleigh’s mother’s side of the family announced at mid-day Monday that she was setting up a memorial account to pay for Kayleigh’s funeral.

The situation became ambiguous late Monday, however, when a man who said he was connected to the father’s side of the family called the Register to say no financial help was being requested by the Slushers, who were going to be handling things on their own.

http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/memorial-fund-set-up-to-bury-kayleigh-slusher/article_f0fd2198-8d17-11e3-a358-001a4bcf887a.html

DA: Mom Charged with Murder After Daughter, 3, Stored in Suitcase, Freezer

By Jodi Hernandez
Tuesday, Feb 4, 2014
Updated 6:09 PM PST

The Napa County District Attorney on Tuesday charged a mother and her boyfriend with murder and assault on a child, stemming from the death of a 3-year-old girl found in the mother's apartment over the weekend. Jodi Hernandez reports.

The Napa County District Attorney on Tuesday charged a mother and her boyfriend with murder and assault on a child, stemming from the death of a 3-year-old girl found in the mother's apartment over the weekend.

Court documents indicate the body of Kayleigh Slusher was stored in a suitcase and then a freezer for three days, and that the little girl was "beaten to death" before that.

The mother of the 3-year-old Napa girl and her boyfriend stored Kayleigh's body in a suitcase, then a freezer, for three days, according to the documents. The girl's mother, Sara Kreuger, 23, and her boyfriend, Ryan Scott Warner, 26, were charged on Tuesday, after they had fled, and were taken into custody at the El Cerrito del Norte BART station.

On Saturday, Kayleigh was found dead on a bed at her mom's apartment in the 200 block of Wilkins Avenue in Napa. When police were conducting a welfare check on the girl, they said they found signs of foul play, including blunt-force trauma.

“Rarely do we have things of this level here in this community,” Napa Police Capt. Jeff Troendly said. “We're a bedroom community. It's quiet for the most part. This type of crime rarely occurs.  It's shocking, shocking to everybody.”

The district attorney said Kreuger and Warner could face additional charges: The pathologist is still trying to determine whether the 3-year-old suffered sexual assault. If that’s the case, this could become a death penalty case.

Napa police on Monday confirmed that they were called to Krueger's residence 10 times last year for various crime reports, including domestic violence.

• Download the Criminal Complaints: Sara Kreuger | Ryan Scott Warner

This year, Capt. Troendly said, officers were called out to the home on Jan. 27 and Jan. 29 because they heard reports that the mom was allegedly using drugs and that her daughter hadn't been fed.

“There was nothing to indicate that anybody was impaired in any way where that child would have been in danger when that officer left,” Capt. Troendly said Tuesday.

However, he said, police conducted a field sobriety test on the mom and boyfriend, and interviewed Kayleigh, clearing the scene without finding anything amiss.

MORE:  Autopsy Conducted on 3-Year-Old Girl; Mother Arrested

Lawyer Mervin Lernhart appeared with Krueger on Tuesday. He pointed out that nothing has been proven.

“She's been accused,” Lernhart said after court, “but she's presumed innocent at this time.”

The pair will be back in court Feb. 25 to enter pleas.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Napa-County-DA-Charges-Mother-Boyfriend-With-Murder-of-3-Year-Old-Girl-243551101.html

Mom, Boyfriend Plead Not Guilty After Daughter, 3, Stored in Suitcase, Freezer

By Jodi Hernandez
Tuesday, Feb 25, 2014  
Updated 11:25 AM PST

A mother and her boyfriend on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to murder and assault on a child, stemming from the death of a 3-year-old girl found in the mother's Napa apartment.

Napa County District Attorney Gary Lieberstein said Sara Kreuger, 23, and her boyfriend, Ryan Scott Warner, 26,  entered the pleas in court after being charged in early February with the brutal murder of Kreuger's daughter, Kayleigh Slusher.

Lieberstein added that the exact cause of death was multiple blunt force impact injuries to head, torso and extremities due to fatal child abuse and neglect.

Court documents indicate Kayleigh's body was stored in a suitcase and then a freezer for three days, and that the little girl was "beaten to death" before that.

Kayleigh was found dead on a bed Feb. 1 at her mom's apartment in the 200 block of Wilkins Avenue in Napa. When police were conducting a welfare check on the girl, they said they found signs of foul play, including blunt-force trauma.

In a previous court appearance, defense lawyer Mervin Lernhart appeared with Krueger, saying nothing has been proven.

“She's been accused,” Lernhart said after court, “but she's presumed innocent at this time.”

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Mom-Boyfriend-Plead-Not-Guilty-After-Daughter-3-Stored-in-Suitcase-Freezer-247109391.html

3-Year-Old Girl Murdered & Stuck in Freezer Day After Cops Said She Was Safe
Posted by Jeanne Sager on Feb 5, 2014 at 12:17 PM
In a case that's sure to bring heightened attention to the role cops play in removing children from dangerous situations, a California community is mourning a 3-year-old today who police believe was murdered by her mom and mom's boyfriend. Kayleigh Slusher's body was shoved in a suitcase and then in a freezer before finally ending up back in her bed, where police found her on Saturday, three days after her murder ... four days after they'd been called to check on the little girl's well-being.

Sara Krueger, 23, and her boyfriend, Ryan Scott Warner, 26, have allegedly admitted to Napa police that they killed Sara's daughter last Thursday ... Thursday being the day after Wednesday, which was the day police made a welfare check at their apartment and checked on little Kayleigh after someone alleged Kreuger was using drugs and not feeding her 3-year-old.


And they left her there? They deemed her safe?

I understand the child welfare system is over-burdened, and it is not an easy thing for a cop to decide they need to call in social workers and pull a child. But when a child dies a brutal death just a day after cops said she was fine, heads have to roll.

In fact, reports are now coming to light that indicate police have been to Krueger and Warner's place some 14 times for various things, and yet it seems the child welfare agency in charge of protecting kids from abuse was never called.

Even if the cops didn't see anything in evidence, doesn't the mere fact that these calls keep coming in indicate a need to get someone with a little more experience at judging a child's safety to come in and nose around? We've all had crappy neighbors who would love nothing more than to throw us under the bus, but at some point the sheer number of calls and allegations should set off warning bells. It's not just a vendetta. It's something that needs to be investigated more thoroughly ... because a child's life is on the line.

Maybe child welfare wouldn't have yanked the girl from her home if they'd investigated; maybe they would have. But at least someone would have checked!

Unfortunately, we can't dial back time. Little Kayleigh Slusher is gone, and her mother and mom's boyfriend are facing murder charges (her biological dad is already in prison on an unrelated matter) after cops caught them trying to get out of town. Sadly, they'd been called once again to check on Kayleigh's well-being by a neighbor.

Something tells me every cop who hears this story will surely be affected ... and hopefully a bit more inclined to call child welfare when they're on the fence about doing so.

What do you think of the cops' behavior here? Is this standard procedure or should something have happened?

http://www.cafemom.com/articles/in_the_news/167833/3yearold_girl_murdered_stuck_in?utm_medium=sem2&utm_campaign=prism&utm_source=outbrain&utm_content=0

Everyone failed this little angel. Laws need to be changed. Delibertly cause a child's death forfeit yours. William

Another POS mother.  Another POS man.  Another dead baby.