Six individuals have been indicted in relation to the tragic death of a 7-week-old baby girl in Lincoln County, Missouri earlier this year.
Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood has recently announced that Shawna Walton, Selena Rodriguez, Gabriel Clark, Dillon Clark, Evan Hausermann, and Adam Hausermann are facing felony charges of murder and child endangerment resulting in death in connection with the tragic passing of Ty’Ann.
“It’s truly a heartbreaking incident,” expressed Wood with deep sorrow.
Authorities have determined that the main cause of death for the 49-day-old girl, who suffered multiple injuries from physical abuse, was exposure to lethal amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
“We found evidence of broken bones and brain bleeds, which initially made us suspect some form of abuse,” Wood explained.
“The injuries were not acute, indicating that they did not occur suddenly, but rather were in different stages of healing. The baby had suffered multiple traumatic injuries, but the primary cause of death was determined to be methamphetamine intoxication,” explained Dan Heavin, the Lincoln County Coroner.
Curtner’s parents, Rodriguez and Gabriel Clark, are also facing charges for child physical abuse due to the physical injuries sustained by their daughter, as confirmed by Wood.
Shawna Walton, the girl’s grandmother, and Dillon Clark, the girl’s uncle, were residents in the home. Evan Hausermann and Adam Hausermann were the father’s two roommates, while Rodriguez did not live in the house.
According to Wood, the mother was aware of the drug use in the home when she handed over custody of the child to the biological father. He firmly believes that any form of drug use in the presence of children, particularly fentanyl, poses a significant risk to their safety and well-being.
Wood stated that there was an excessive amount of fentanyl discovered in the residence where Curtner resided and ultimately passed away.
“The presence of fentanyl we discovered in the house was truly alarming. It pervaded every room in the home, without any attempt to conceal or safeguard it from the baby,” he expressed with concern.
The source of the drugs in the infant’s system remains uncertain, but according to Lincoln County Coroner Dan Heavin, the home was involved in a drug operation. Heavin suspects that Curtner had already passed away for several hours before the police were notified.
“The drugs had been present in the room for a minimum of 24 hours. It could have come into contact with the baby’s pacifier, bottle, or any other object without anyone suspecting a thing, as it had spread throughout the space,” explained Heavin.
Five of the six suspects were apprehended on Wednesday morning with the assistance of the St. Louis County Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service. However, Adam Hausermann is still evading capture.
Heavin expressed her satisfaction at witnessing the beginning of justice for Ty’Ann.
Wood expressed deep sorrow and emphasized the profound impact of the incident on everyone involved. He stressed the importance of preventing such tragedies and sending a strong message that the authorities will take them seriously. Wood commended the diligent efforts of those involved in investigating the case, acknowledging their contribution in reaching the current stage.
If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Adam Hausermann, please reach out to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
All five suspects remain in custody, with a bail set at $500,000 that must be paid in cash.
All six suspects are charged with class A felonies, which could result in a sentence of 10 years to life in prison.
According to recent reports from the Missouri Department of Social Services, there has been a staggering 500% increase in infant deaths caused by fentanyl.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri State Technical Assistance Team, and Missouri Children’s Division conducted an investigation into the case, as stated in the release. Subsequently, the findings were presented to a Lincoln County grand jury on December 13th.
“The Facebook post by Wood emphasizes the extreme danger of fentanyl, stating that its lethality cannot be underestimated. In response, the Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office plans to adopt a firm stance with a zero-tolerance policy regarding drug use in the presence of children.”
