COLLIN HOLDGRAFER - 4 yo (2010) - Andrew (S of Dubuque) IA

Court records reveal more details about the drowning death of a Jackson County child.
Court documents obtained by news organizations say
Danielle Lynn Holdgrafer was doing "dunking activities" while bathing
the young boy. That involved holding the child's head under water.
She faces first degree murder charges.
Documents also say the father, Andrew Holdgrafer, did nothing to stop the dunking.
Investigators claim that he had prior knowledge of abuse, and "failed to take action". He's
charged with child endangerment resulting in death.
Four-year-old Colin Holdgrafer died Saturday in Andrew. His father previously told
police Colin died in the bathtub.
The Holdgrafers had five children, two including Collin were adopted.
The other four are now in foster care.

The grandmother of a Jackson County four -year- old who
drowned in a bathtub says several calls were placed to the state child
abuse hotline over the past year, but were ignored.

''The Department of Human Services was called many times'', said Diane
Haylock on Friday from her home in Maquoketa. ''It shouldn't have
happened. DHS was involved many times, why didn't someone get him out of
there?''

Collin Holdgrafer died Saturday at the apartment of his adoptive parents
in Andrew, Iowa. Now, they're charged in connection with his death.
Danielle Holdgrafer is charged with first degree murder, accused of
intentionally holding the four year old's head underwater in the
bathtub.



Her husband, Andrew Holdgrafer is charged with felony child
endangerment, accused of not doing anything to help the child. They are
the aunt and uncle of the boy, who legally adopted him after his
biological mother, Andrew's sister, was sent to prison on drug charges.

The boy's grandtather Don Holdgrafer and his wife say they called DHS
twice after being cut off from seeing Collin and his half-brother, both
adopted by the couple, who had three biological children of their own.

''I never got to see them. In the store, they'd never have those kids
with them, not those two, never. This just hurts something terrible, it
just ain't right'', Holdgrafer said after exiting the apartment where
Collin died. ''They were locked in their bedroom. The lock was on the
outside, they'd lock them in there. Nobody else''.

Haylock says she was active in her grandson's life until about a year
ago, when she too was abruptly shut out of the boy's life. She says she
made repeated phone calls to try and schedule a visit, and was finally
told by Danielle on her answering machine that it would be best if they
sever ties. She says she didn't know what was going on, but has now
found out several calls of concern had been placed to DHS.

''Numerous times. By grandparents, a teacher, a neighbor. He's been
tortured for at least a year. Locked in his bedroom'', Haylock said, her
lip trembling. ''They let me in his life. They were wonderful people at
the time. Then in 2009, they were acting different, she was losing
weight''.

Neighbor Heather Sagers says she allowed her child to play with the
Holdgrafer kids all the time, and never noticed anything out of the
ordinary. Except that she rarely saw Collin and his half-brother.

''Their own kids were always out back playing and nobody ever really saw
the other two. It's sad, I guess you never really know what happens
behind closed doors'', Sagers said.

Collin was the biological child of Jodi Holdgrafer and Haylock's son,
who did not have custody. But Diane, who has photo album after photo
album filled with pictures of Collin, was not going to give up trying to
be a part of his life.

Now, it's too late.

''He was an angel. He did nothing wrong. This little boy should not have
died. This little boy should have been saved.''

Four-year-old Collin Holdgrafer was buried Wednesday
as his biological mother watched in waist shackles under the eyes
of two prison guards.
Private graveside services for the Andrew, Iowa, boy were held
at Mount Hope Cemetery in Maquoketa. Jodi Holdgrafer, 30, was
brought from the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in
Mitchell-ville, where she is serving a sentence for a drug
conviction, to attend her son's funeral service.
Funeral director Don Carson, of Carson and Son Funeral and
Cremation Services, Maquoketa, said the service was attended by
other family members, but not Collin's adoptive parents, Danielle
and Andrew Holdgrafer, who are charged in the boy's death.
Criminal charges were formally filed Wednesday afternoon against
the adoptive parents of the 4-year-old, who died June 12 after
allegedly being held under water in the bathtub.
Jackson County Attorney Chris Raker and Andrew Prosser,
assistant Iowa attorney general, filed trial information in Jackson County District Court.
Danielle Holdgrafer, 29, of Andrew, faces a first-degree murder
charge, along with charges of child endangerment resulting in death
and child endangerment resulting in bodily injury in Collin's
death. The information lists her as having custody of a child "with
a mental or physical disability."
Collin Parker William Holdgrafer was pronounced dead June 12 at Jackson County Regional Health Center.
A second charge of child endangerment resulting in bodily injury
was filed against Danielle Holdgrafer involving another child in
the household. Court documents claim that between January 2007 and
June 11, she had custody over a minor child, who is listed as DH,
"with a mental or physical disability" and committed an act that
resulted in bodily injury. No further details of that incident were contained in the documents.
Collin's brother, Darrian, who is 6, also lived with the Holdgrafers. Collin and Darrian are children of Jodi Holdgrafer.
Jodi's brother, Andrew Holdgrafer, adopted the children.
Andrew Holdgrafer, 31, was charged with one count of child
endangerment resulting in death. The court documents said he was a
member of the household in which the child resided and "did commit
child endangerment resulting in the death of CPWH."
In court information filed previously, Darrell Simmons, Iowa
Division of Criminal Investigation special agent, said Danielle
Holdgrafer dunked Collin's head under water while bathing the
child. He said the "dunking activities" resulted in the death of the child.
Simmons wrote that Andrew Holdgrafer watched his wife dunking
the child's head under the bath water but did nothing. Andrew
Holdgrafer admitted he had prior knowledge "that abuse and neglect
had been taking place, and he failed to take action."
The couple have three children of their own, in addition to
Darrian and Collin. All the children have been placed in foster care.
A preliminary hearing for the Holdgrafers had been scheduled for
this morning but will not be held now that trial information has
been filed. Their arraignments are scheduled for 8:45 a.m. July 9.

A Jackson County man charged in the death of his adopted son died on
Saturday afternoon, according to official reports.
Andrew Holdgrafer, 32, died of natural causes at his Maquoketa home.

Holdgrafer
had been facing charges in the death of Collin Holdgrafer, 4. His wife,
Danielle, is still being held in jail on charges of first-degree murder
and child endangerment.

Child-endangerment suspect dies Authorities say the death of Andrew Holdgrafer, who was charged in connection with the death of his adopted son, appears to be from natural causes. BY JIM WINTER TH ASSISTANT CITY EDITOR

Andrew W. Holdgrafer

MAQUOKETA, Iowa -- A Jackson County man facing a child-endangerment charge in the death of his adopted 4-year-old son died Saturday afternoon.
The death of Andrew Holdgrafer, 32, was not suspicious and appears to be from natural causes.
Jackson County Sheriff's deputy Steve Schroeder said Holdgrafer was staying at a home in Maquoketa, where he collapsed and died after working in the garage.
Members of the Maquoketa Rescue Squad tried to revive Holdgrafer.
He had been charged with child endangerment resulting in the June 12 death of Collin Holdgrafer. He had entered a plea of not guilty and was free on $50,000 bond.
Holdgrafer's wife, Danielle, 30, is in the Jones County Jail on charges of first-
degree murder, child endangerment resulting in death and two counts of child endangerment causing bodily injury. One of the bodily injury charges allegedly is connected to another adopted son, Darrian, according to court documents. Her bond was set at $200,000.
Court documents state Danielle Holdgrafer intentionally held Collin's head under water in a bathtub in their apartment. He died
Advertisementthat evening at Jackson County Regional Health Center.
Danielle Holdgrafer has pleaded not guilty and has a pre-trial conference Friday, Sept. 17. No trial date has been scheduled.
Andrew Holdgrafer pleaded not guilty July 6 to child endangerment resulting in the death of a child. He demanded his right to a speedy trial, and a trial date had been set for Monday, Sept. 13. He then waived his right to a speedy trial on Aug. 20 and had a pre-trial hearing scheduled for Nov. 19, with no trial date set.
Court documents say Andrew Holdgrafer "knowingly permitted his wife to physically abuse" Collin. Andrew Holdgrafer also told investigators that he had "prior knowledge that abuse and neglect had been taking place and that he failed to take action."
The Associated Press contributed

A murder charge against an Iowa mother accused of killing her son has been dropped. Danielle Holdgrafer is now facing a lesser charge, child endangerment.Her 4 year old son Collin was found dead in a bath tub back in June. Jackson County State's attorney filed the motion in court Tuesday.They save they don't have enough evidence for the murder charge.Holdgrafer's husband Andrew was also facing charges in the toddler's death, but he died from cardiac arrest in September.

Eastern Iowa woman's child endangerment trial delayed


MAQUOKETA, Iowa --- The trial of Danielle Holdgrafer, who is accused of causing the death of her 4-year-old son, has been continued.
A new trial date has not been set.
Holdgrafer, 30, of Andrew, was scheduled for trial April 11 on charges of child endangerment resulting in death and two counts of child endangerment resulting in bodily injury.
She was originally charged with first-degree murder. That charge was dismissed after her husband, Andy, died suddenly of an apparent heart problem in September, while he was out on bail.
She is accused of killing her adopted son, Collin, last June and abusing her other adopted son.
Holdgrafer had been scheduled to appear Friday morning for a pre-trial conference, but did not appear. District Judge Marlita Greve approved a request to postpone the pre-trial conference until 10 a.m. April 15.
At that time, Greve said she will determine a new trial date and "discuss matters regarding the case."
In January, the judge denied a request by Holdgrafer's public defender Phil Ramirez to move the trial to another county because of pre-trial publicity.
Holdgrafer continues to be held in Jones County jail on $200,000 bail.
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/article_8d2e8d7e-5ca9-11e0-aa24-001cc4c002e0.html

Holdgrafer pleads guilty; sentenced to 50 years


MAQUOKETA, Iowa - An Andrew woman pled guilty today to child endangerment resulting in death and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Danielle Holdgrafer was charged in the drowning death of her 4-year-old son, Collin, last June. She was originally charged with first-degree murder. That charge was dismissed after her husband, Andy, who was also charged in the case, died in September, while he was out on bail.

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=318141