Misadventure Or Malice?:The Death Of 5-Year-Old Cloe Chandler.

🌻 Cloe Marie Chandler🌻

“Love is putting someone else’s needs before yours."

Little Cloe or "peanut" as her grandmother called her, was born on November 11th, 2012 in Marshalltown, Iowa to Kelsie Thomas and Steven Chandler. 5-year-old Cloe had graduated in May 2018 from pre-school at Agassiz. She loved riding her bike, sticker books, sunflowers and everything purple. She liked to go to the park, color and blow bubbles. Cloe liked school and would work hard at it. She could count up to thirty. She liked to learn new things. She was a happy kid. Cloe's favorite movie was "Frozen."

Kelsie had Cloe when she was 16. Cloe's father, Steven, cheated on Kelsie and left her to be a single mother. Later, Kelsie met Aaron Thomas. They got married and had a little boy named Phoenix. After the birth of Phoenix, Kelsie grew distant from Cloe and became easily irritated by her. It got to the point where on several occasions, Kelsie asked her mother, Cloe's grandmother, Kaladra, if she'd just take her.

According to Cloe's mother, Kelsie, in their home on 127 North James Street in Ottumwa on July 19th, 2018, Kelsie made lunch for Cloe and then put her down for a nap sometime after 12 p.m. Kelsie said she also took a nap before work. Kelsie woke up around 3:15 p.m. found Cloe unresponsive in her closet. Kelsie said she found pajama pants strangling her neck. She then lifted Cloe down and the knot in the pants came undone. Kelsie then put Cloe on her bed and ravioli came out of her mouth in vomit.

Kelsie called 9-1-1. Around 3:30 p.m., Chief Deputy Fire Fighter, Corey Binge, was first on scene. He went into Cloe's bedroom and found her cool to the touch. Her airway was blocked by vomit. He tried to resuscitate her to no avail.

Cloe was pronounced dead at Ottumwa Regional Health Center at 4 p.m.

Around 8:30 p.m., Kelsie's mother, Kaladra, got a call about Cloe from one of Kelsie's ex-boyfriends. Kaladra then called Kelsie to ask her if Cloe was ok. Kelsie, who was eating dinner asked, "How did you find out?"

The next day, Kelsie told her cousin, Brittney, about how Cloe reminded her of  her ex, Cloe's father and how her behavior was becoming more like his everyday. About how much that had bothered her.

Kelsie said her daughter wanted to make a swing in the closet with those pants, but ended up choking to death and strangling herself instead.

An autopsy was performed at the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner on July 23rd, 2018. The cause of death was determined to be Ligature Strangulation. The manner of death was certified as Homicide. The medical examiner stated to the police that her findings indicated that Cloe had not been hanged like Kelsie had claimed. The examiner said that since Cloe had hemorrhages inside her neck, that a struggle occurred. There was also hemorrhaging on the hyoid bone. 

On July 24th, Kelsie was brought in for an interview. 

On July 26th, Kelsie was brought in for another interview. She changed her story and told the officers that Cloe was never in the closet. She said that she left Cloe home while Aaron was sleeping. She took her father, Cloe's grandfather, Larry, to the doctor with Phoenix in tow. Kelsie said she wanted to leave because she was frustrated with her daughter. “She was misbehaving, acting out, I didn’t know why,” claimed Kelsie.

Kelsie then went to Walmart then back home around noon. Cloe came to the door and opened it for her mom and told her "I miss you." This upset Kelsie because Cloe was suppose to stay in her room. Aaron left for work and Kelsie tried to put Cloe down for a nap, but Cloe wouldn't stay in her room. This frustrated Kelise even more. She looped some pajama pants around her daughter's neck and started choking Cloe. As Cloe eyes looked at Kelsie's, they bulged. The little girl struggled and then went limp.

After the interview, Kelsie wrote a letter saying that she was sorry for doing this and that her family should have stepped up and helped her.

Kelsie was arrested on first degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. She plead not guilty to the charges even though she basically told investigators that she killed Cloe.

One of the calls that Kelsie made in jail was to her husband, Aaron Thomas. She told him that she was sorry and that she didn't mean to do it. That it was an accident. Aaron told her to stop talking and that she needed a lawyer.

Aaron left Cloe and along with Phoenix, went to Arizona with another woman.

Kelsie Thomas Trial - Prosecution Opening Statement

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Opening statements of Kelsie's trial started on March 4th, 2020. The prosecution said that they were going to prove that the last thing that Cloe saw was her own mother strangling her, and robbing her her last breaths of life.

Kelsie Thomas Trial - Defense Opening Statement

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When the defense took the floor they wanted to remind the court that Kelsie was innocent until proven guilty. They also said that the state will never been able to prove that she is guilty in the eyes of the jury and that Kelsie's confession to Cloe's murder was false.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 1 - Kaladra Kochuyt & Brittney Johnson

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Kelsie's mother, Kaladra, testified that after Phoenix was born Cloe stopped getting attention. And that a month before Cloe's death, she ended up by a pond, all alone. Kaladra also said that Kelsie told her she was having a difficult time getting Cloe to listen. Kaladra said that she told Kelsie to spend more time with Cloe and that maybe she'd start listening better. Kaladra also talked about how Kelsie had asked her if Cloe could live with her. Kaladra told Kelise no, that Kelsie would miss her too much. According to Kaladra, when they went to the zoo two months before Cloe died, Cloe's shoes kept coming undone and they had to stop and kept retying her shoes because Cloe couldn't tie them tight enough.

If Cloe couldn't tie her shoe laces tight enough, could she have tied the pajama bottoms tight enough to accidentally strangle herself to death?

Kaladra also talked about the conversation she had with Kelsie after Kaladra found out about Cloe's death via an ex-boyfriend of Kelsie's.

Kelsie's cousin, Brittney then took the stand. She talked about how she grew up with Kelsie. Brittany also testified that after Phoenix  was born, that Kelsie payed him more attention than Cloe. That it seemed like Cloe was neglected compared to Phoenix and sometimes forgot about. That Phoenix was also dressed nicer than Cloe. 

Brittney also testified about how one of the reasons that Kelsie had broken up with Cloe's dad, Steven, is because he had cheated on Kelsie numerous times.

Brittney said that she found out about Cloe's death after reading a news article on Facebook. Brittney said that she then tried to get a hold of family members. When she finally talked to Kaladra, she found out that Kaladra learned about Cloe's death through an ex-boyfriend of Kelsie's. This prompted Brittney to drive to the police station and told them that she didn't believe that Cloe's death was an accident and asked to be wired.

After going to the police station, Brittney went straight to Kelsie's home. Brittney said that Kelsie didn't seem upset. They came to an agreement were Brittany would take care of Phoenix for a while. They then went to a friend's house to pick Phoenix up. On the way to the friend's house, Kelsie told Brittney how Cloe reminded her of Cloe's father, Steven. She also told Brittney that Cloe wouldn't listen and would get out of hand. That Cloe was not controllable  and would get on her nerves. Kelsie also told Brittany how it was sometimes hard to look at Cloe because she reminded her so much of Steven.

Once back at Kelsie's house, Brittney asked to go inside. Kelsie said that she didn't want to go back inside because she just saw her daughter die. Then Kelsie corrected herself and said that she found her dead.

Kelsie told Brittany that she wasn't happy that the police were investigating Cloe's death. She also discussed with Brittney how Cloe had allegedly tied the pajamas in a knot above the rod in the closet, which created a loop.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 1 - Brittney Johnson & Chief Deputy Fire Fighter, Corey Binge

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Binge testified that there was vomit in Cloe's hair and by her face. He also said that when he asked Kelsie what happened she stated that she had found Cloe hanging in the closet. Binge said that he had checked for a pulse and to see if Cloe was breathing. He said that their was no pulse and that her airway was restricted with vomit. He then moved her to the floor and checked her extremities and they were cool to the touch. Binge moved Cloe's head to the side to clear her mouth of vomit and then begun CPR. Binge also said that he noticed ligature marks on Cloe. He then went on to explain about the life saving measures that the EMT's tried when they showed up a few minutes later. Binge carried Cloe to the ambulance when it arrived where they continued to work on Cloe. Binge said that Kelsie seemed upset.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 1 - Chief Tom McAndrew & Aaron Thomas - Defendant's Husband

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I don't know the first guy's name, but he was an EMT that arrived on scene. He stated that when he arrived on scene, he did not see the pajamas tied in a knot, but they did appear like they had been previously pulled or cinched tight. He stated that Kelsie seemed upset and there was nothing odd about her behavior.

Chief McAndrew talked about how he walked into Kelsie's house and saw her holding Phoenix and Binge preforming CPR on Cloe. He then went back outside to wait for the ambulance. When the ambulance arrived McAndrew went back in and told Binge that it was there so he could run Cloe out to it. McAndrew was helping get the ambulance doors shut when Aaron Thomas came running up. Aaron then looked in the ambulance, became upset and then ran into the house. After a few minutes Aaron ran back out and McAndrew offered him a ride to the hospital. They got into McAndrew's vehicle to wait for the ambulance, but Aaron got impatient and went back to the ambulance. He returned a few minutes later with Kelsie and Phoenix in tow. After a few minutes Aaron got impatient once more and went back to the ambulance. As Aaron got to the back of the ambulance it started to take off, so he got back in McAndrew's vehicle and they followed the ambulance to the hospital.

On the way to the hospital Aaron asked Kelsie what happened. Kelsie told Aaron that they ate lunch and took a nap. After the nap she said she checked on Cloe and found her hanging in the closet by a pair of pajamas.

Once and the hospital, they followed EMTs as they took Cloe into the emergency room. Aaron went into the trauma room with Cloe as McAndrew stood in the hallway with Kelsie and Phoenix. Kelsie was crying and said that she felt like she was going to be sick.

After Cloe was pronounced dead, Aaron came out of the trauma room. Then Aaron, Kelsie, Phoenix, McAndrew and a Chaplin walked outside and the Chaplin talked to Kelsie and Aaron. The sun became too much for Kelsie and they went back inside the hospital. Aaraon went into the trauma room as Kelsie and Phoenix walked to the end of the hall with the Chaplin. And that was the last McAndrew saw of them.

Aaron testified that when he started dating Kelsie that Kelsie and Cloe's relationship was great. Aaron also talked about getting a nasty phone call from Kelsie on the day of Cloe's death. Ten minutes later he received a second phone call from Kelsie saying that Cloe was not breathing and that is when he rushed home. When he arrived, that was when EMTs were rushing Cloe out to the ambulance. He also said that he found Kelsie's demeanor very odd when she was talking to police.

Aaron didn't know why Kaladra accused Kelsie of being involved in Cloe's death. And that it was normal for Kelsie to put the kids down for a nap so she could also take a nap before work. He said however, that he had no idea that Kelsie had left Cloe alone with him while he was sleeping on the day of her death.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 2 - Amanda Misencik - Criminalist & Inv Michael Sieren - Defendant's Crime

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Criminalist Amanda Misencik stated that the tests she performed didn't show conclusive signs of sexual assault. She also stated that she found two DNA profiles on Cloe's pillow case. The main contributor was Cloe, but the minor contributor's profile was incomplete. There was two DNA profiles found on Cloe's pajama bottoms that she had died from. They were found on the legs. Cloe's was the Major and the Minor could not be identified. Cloe's fingernails were tested for DNA. Only Cloe's DNA was found underneath her fingernails which suggested that there was no indication of a struggle.

Investigator for the Ottumwa police department, Michael Sieren, testified about Brittney Johnson coming to the police station and speaking about her concerns with Cloe's death.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 2 - Inv. Michael Sieren Part 2

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Sieren testified that it appeared there had been no struggle in the closet. There was no vomit in the closet either. He also said that Kelsie had told him that she had found Cloe hanging by the crotch of the pajamas and that they had been tied around the rod in the closet. Kelsie also had told Sieren that when she picked Cloe up, the child felt like dead weight.

Sieren then talked about the search warrants and about cellphones, cellphone records and computers being seized.

The court listened to an audio clip of Kelsie being arrested. And the defense also talked about Sieren's interrogation tactics.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 2 - Dr Michele Catellier - Medical Examiner Part 1

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I don't what to go into the gory details, so i'll just say that Dr, Catelleier talked about that there was evidence that Cloe was asphyxiated by strangulation. Cloe's autopsy photos were also displayed.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 2 - Dr Michele Catellier - Medical Examiner Part 2

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Catellier talked about the difference between hanging strangulation and when someone is strangled by another person using a ligature. When someone is hanged, there is often no injury at the neck due to rapid loss of consciousness. When a person is strangled, there is often some kind of struggle that leaves injury. However, sometimes, when the aggressor is stronger or the victim is unconscious or barely conscious, there might be no sign of injury. 

Catellier explained that in Cloe's autopsy photos their is slight signs of strangulation as apposed to hanging.  She also stated that she doesn't know how the pajama bottoms would have supported Cloe's weight, but then just came loose. She did say that when she found out about the confession that Kelsie had made, what she had seen during Cloe's autopsy made sense. That Kelsie's confession about her strangling Cloe matched up with the evidence. That there was evidence of a struggle and movement. And in her confession, Kelsie said that Cloe just stared at her as she was strangled. Catellier testified that made sense. She said that the eyes get fixed after there has been compression of the neck causing asphyxia. She said that they stare, they can no longer move their eyes to gaze at something.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 2 - Dr Michele Catellier - Medical Examiner Part 3

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Catellier talked more about asphyxia as wells as reflex actions. She is also questioned about the ligature mark and how it is a sign of suspension, which is not usually present when someone is strangled by someone else. Catellier then said that there was unexplained marks on Cloe's neck that could have been finger marks.

One of the main reasons why Catellier thinks that Cloe was strangled instead of accidentally hanging herself was the prominent and irregular ligature furrow with hemorrhage of the soft tissues underneath it as well as in the back of Cloe's neck. Catellier said that if someone is suspended by a cloth ligature with a broad surface area she would not expect the furrow to be as distinct. More importantly she would not expect to see hemorrhage at all layers of the strap muscles on both sides of the neck as well as adjacent to the cornea of the laryngeal cartilage, the carotid arteries and the vocalist muscle.

So basically Catellier has said that Cloe has a lot of damage that would suggest that instead of accidentally hanging herself, which would have rendered her unconscious faster than a being strangled by someone which would have resulted in there being less time that she had struggled for her life and less damage, that she was strangled by someone which resulted in much more damaged caused by a longer struggle.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 3 Agt Don Schnitker Defendant Police Interview Part 1

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Don Schnitker talked about his interrogation technique. Also, video clips of Schnitker interviewing Kelsie about Cloe's death are played. 

In one of the clips Kelsie told the investigators that she didn't have to untie the pajamas when she pulled Cloe from the closet. She said that the pajamas just came undone. 

After another one of the clips, Schnitker explained how the medical examiner had told them that what Kelsie had claimed happened didn't match up with the evidence, which Schnitker explained that he had reiterated to Kelsie in the previous clip.

In another clip, Kelsie said that she loved Cloe and still loves her and would never have done anything like this to her. Kelsie also said that she was asleep when Cloe died.

Schnitker explained that when they were interviewing Kelsie, that she frequently would talk about how Cloe was frustrating her on the day of her death.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 3 - Agt Don Schnitker - Defendant Police Interview Part 2

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Most of the audio in part 1 and part 2 of the interview have not been the greatest. However, you can hear Kelsie tell the detectives that she found Cloe in the closet and it looked like she was hanging. She also keeps reiterating that she didn't kill her. Kelsie also wanted to know if they had physical proof that she "did it."

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 3-Agt Don Schnitker - Defendant Police Interview - Alleged Confession Part 3

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At this point in the interview is where Kelsie's story changes. Kelsie appears to cry or pretend to cry as investigators talk to her in the clip. The audio is still difficult to tell what they are saying some of the time, but Kelsie talked about how she was frustrated with Cloe getting into stuff and not listening. Kelsie said that as she was trying to take a nap, Cloe kept coming out of her room. She said that at one point, Cloe heard her coming and ran into her bedroom. Kelsie said that she followed Cloe and held her down on the bed with both hands around her neck and told her, "You need to say in your room." Kelsie said that her eyes got big and she saw that her daughter was scared. Kelsie said that she pushed herself off of her daughter, closed the door and left. She thought that her daughter was still alive and that she just scared the "shit" out of her.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 3-Agt Don Schnitker-Defendant Police Interview Part 4-Defendants Letter Read

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Schnitker explained how Kelsie said that she had used the pajama pants to strangle Cloe, place her on the bed and continued assaulting her.

Schnitker talked about how it is not that they were sure that Kelsie killed Cloe as much as that they believed that what she had originally told them happened didn't happen the way she had stated. He also said that strong denials in interrogations like that were common and he thought he wouldn't be doing his job if he took people at their word that they "didn't do it."

When asked why Schnitker and the other detectives focused so much on the pajama pants in the interviews, Schnitker said that it was because Kelsie had brought them up during questioning.

Schnitker was asked that if after Kelsie confessed to choking Cloe to death if she recanted at all. Schnitker replied that Kelsie made no attempt to take back her confession.

Schnitker then read Kelsie's letter to her family that she wrote after she confessed to killing Cloe.

"I just want to say how terribly sorry i am right now. I loved Cloe so much. I never thought anything like this would ever happen. I just wish more of you would have helped me when i asked or tried to get me the help we all know i needed. Please keep her memories alive. Let Phoenix know i love him and that i am very sorry that this happened. I'm sorry i lied to everyone. I was so scared of what i did and what would happen. i don't blame you guys if you never forgive me. I wouldn't either. Love you all so much, Kelsie."

Schnitker was asked if there was ever a stress test performed on the pajama bottoms which he replied that there never had been such a test performed on them.

Two different audio clips were played. The first audio clip is a phone call between Kelsie and Aaron Thomas after Kelsie was arrested for Cloe's death. During the conversation she told Aaron that she was sorry and that she didn't mean to do it. Kelsie said that she didn't mean to "hurt her."

In the second clip, in another phone conversation between Aaron and Kelsie, she said that "it was a complete accident."

Defense told the court that they don't believe that the prosecution proved that what happened to Cloe was an intentional act committed by Kelsie.

The prosecution basically said that Kelsie's anger got the best of her and that she intentionally and violently took Cloe's life.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 4 - Jill Gardner - Victim's Teacher & Dr Thomas Young - Forensic Pathologist

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With the jury absent, Cloe's teacher, Jill Gardner, said that the best way to described Cloe was "that little girl that skipped down the hall." Gardner said that Cloe seemed to be excited to be at school and to learn new things. She did well in school and worked really hard. She could count up to thirty. Gardner said that she looked well taken care of and that Kelsie seemed patient with Cloe and that she seemed like a responsible parent.

Thomas Young reviewed the autopsy report and photos and in his own opinion he believes that Cloe died of a accidental hanging that that Kelsie is innocent of her daughter's murder.  Young said that since there was no broken bones in Cloe's neck that that was one of the reasons why he thinks her death was an accidental hanging. Young also said that since Cloe could tie her shoes and she was obviously so good at it that she could tie a knot strong enough to hold her 45 pound body suspended. 

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 4 - Dr Thomas Young - Forensic Pathologist Part 2

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He talked about how many pounds it takes to totally block an airway, which is not much. He also said that one can lose consciousness relatively quickly. 

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 4 - Brian Cutler - Interrogation & False Confession Expert

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Brian Cutler talked about false confessions. He said that there are various ways that innocent people falsely confess. He said that the most common way is in the process of highly persuasive interrogation, the suspect basically succumbs to the pressure and confesses to the crime. Cutler states that there is 2,500 cases of know wrongful conviction in Michigan and out of those cases, 15% involved false confession.

Cutler said that after reviewing her confession, that he doesn't know if Kelsie was telling the truth or not.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Day 4 - Defense Rests

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The defense stated that Cloe's teacher had no reason to believe that Cloe was in danger and tat the teacher also had said that Cloe could tie a knot. The defense also stated that Young's findings were in direct conflict with Catellier's and that Cloe's death was an accident.

Kelsie Thomas Trial - Jury Instructions

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Kelsie Thomas Trial - Prosecution Closing Argument

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The prosecution talked about how Cloe will never graduate from kindergarten. They talked about how Cloe would never go on to and graduate high school and that she would never go to college. And how Cloe will never have her first job, first boyfriend or get married. That Cloe would never get to see her brother grow up either.

The prosecution said that Cloe's was a beautiful girl who was full of life and had that life cut short brutally when she was strangled to death by her mother. And that Kelsie failed to protect and care for Cloe. That everything became to much for her.

The prosecution claimed that when Kelsie returned home, she found out that Cloe hadn't been in her room like she was suppose to be. Cloe then said that she was hungry, so Kelsie made ravioli for he and Phoenix. After that, that is when Aaron got up and went to work at his friend's house. Kelsie wasn't happy about having to continue to watch the kids. Kelsie was tired and wanted the kids to take a nap so she could take one herself before she had to be to work. The prosecution then claimed that Kelsie told Cloe that she had better take a nap or she was going to beat her ass. Cloe didn't want to take a nap, so she ran away from her bed. That is when the prosecution said that Kelsie took the pajama pants, she threw them over Cloe and pulled her and strangled her with the pants. The prosecution said that Cloe fought for her life, staring at her mother. 

The prosecution said that Kelsie had hours to come up with a story to explain the marks on Cloe's neck. They said that Cloe was already dead before Kelsie made the 9-1-1 call and that the first responder to the scene testified that Cloe's extremities were cold to the touch. And they asked that how are we suppose to believe that the pajama's that Kelsie alleged that Cloe was hanged by accidentally, just came undone by it'self.

The prosecution then explained how Kelsie didn't tell her mother that Cloe had died. And how the mother had called Kelsie four hours after Cloe was pronounced dead and asked her what she was doing. Which Kelsie had responded that she was eating. Kelsie's mother then had asked how Cloe was. Kelsie's response to that was "how did you find out?"

They then talked about how in the interrogation video, Kelsie said that when she went in and saw Cloe hanging in the closet, that the chair was off to the side of Cloe and that it was in the same place it had been earlier that day.

The prosecution then talked about paying attention to Kelsie's demeanor in the first interrogation tape that was recorded 24 hours after Cloe's death. They also talked about how Kelsie's cousin, Brittney, said that the day after Cloe's death that Kelsie's demeanor didn't seem right. And about how Kelsie had told Brittney that she had witnessed her own daughter die. That Kelsie was talking about Cloe's bad attitude and that she couldn't look at her sometimes because Cloe reminded Kelsie of Cloe's father. And that Kelsie was mad at the police for investigating her.

They then talked about how there was sign's of a struggle because force equals injury and Cloe had a lot of injuries. That this was a manual strangulation where Cloe fought for her life.

The prosecution reiterated how Kelsie had stated that she had left Cloe home because she didn't want to deal with her and that how she had said a different story at first. They talked about how Kelsie told investigators that Cloe was acting out and wouldn't listen. And during the interrogation detectives had asked Kelsie if she ever had a break. To which Kelsie responded, "Now."

The prosecution then talked about Kelsie's second interview and her changing stories, ending up with her confession. The prosecution talked about how Kelsie said that she was so angry and that she hoped and thought that Cloe was still alive when she left that room. That Kelsie then went and took a nap.

Kelsie Thomas Trial - Defense Closing Argument Part 1

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The defense stated that the people that knew Kelsie the best, besides Aaron and Phoenix, which was "grandma Jody" and Kelsie's dad, never expressed concerns about Kelsie and never testified.

The defense then talked about how Aaron believed Kelsie until he found out about her confession. They also talked about how Aaron found Kelsie's behavior at the hospital was odd the day that Cloe died even though law enforcement didn't find her behavior odd.

They also said that Kelsie wasn't mad at the investigators, she was mad at the news reporters. And that Kelsie was getting harassed on social media.

The defense claimed that Kelsie wasn't emotionally appropriate  because of the way she was raised. They also claimed that the investigators knew what the findings of the autopsy were and so they influence Kelsie into a confession that would match the findings.

Kelsie Thomas Trial Defense Closing Argument Part 2

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The defense said that prosecutors are so hung up on the fact that there was no vomit from Cloe in the closet that that Kelsie must have been lying when she said she pulled Cloe out of the closet. The defense also said that the reason why there was no vomit in the closet is because nothing could come out of Cloe's airway. They said that her airway was constricted because she had hanged herself and that when Kelsie laid Cloe down on the bed to perform CPR, the airways became clear and that is when the vomit came out.

The defense also said that if Kelsie is guilty of anything it is her being negligent and leaving Cloe alone and that there was no history of Kelsie abusing Cloe. They said that every parent gets frustrated with their child, but that doesn't necessarily result in murder.

The defense then talked about reasonable doubt and that they don't feel that the prosecution didn't prove that in Cloe's case.

Kelsie Thomas Trial - Proescution Rebuttal Closing Argument

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The prosecution said that the defense twisted what the burden of proof is. The prosecution said it is up to them to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Kelsie committed the crime. That it's not beyond all doubt, or a shadow of doubt. And it is up to the jury to decide what beyond reasonable doubt is, not the defense to say or to tell the jury what the prosecution has to prove.

The prosecution also said that they proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Kelsie is guilty. And just that because Kelsie didn't post on Facebook or sent texts that she killed Cloe, doesn't mean that she didn't do the crime like the defense insinuated.

The prosecution then said that because there was no vomit in the closet that meant that Cloe was never in the closet. And that even if Kelsie's story was to be believed, why was their no vomit on Kelsie?

They also said that Kelsie's actions before and after Cloe's death prove her guilt along with the evidence that cooberated her confession. At that all of the different stories that Kelsie told before were shifting sands of a guilty mind.

The prosecution then said that just because Kelsie was crying during the 9-1-1 call doesn't mean that she is innocent of a crime like the defense claimed. The prosecution said that it was a traumatic experience and so it probably was upsetting to her. i believe that whether Kelsie is guilty or no of Cloe's death, that she loved Cloe and there for would be upset when she called 9-1-1.

They also pointed out the phone calls between Kelsie while she was in jail and Aaron. And how that if she was really coerced into a false confession that she would have told Aaron so. 

Kelsie Thomas Trial - Verdict

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On count one of 1st degree murder the jury was unable to agree on a verdict and a mistrial was declared on that count.

The State has the option to re-try Kelsie for first-degree murder within 90 days.

On count two of child endangerment causing death, Kelsie was found not guilty.

What do you think of the outcome of Kelsie's trial?

I think it was ridiculous to try to charge Kelsie with first degree murder in the first place. They should have maybe tried for manslaughter.

As for the child endangerment charge, i think she should have been found guilty of that. But that is just my opinion.

How ever Cloe died, her life was cut tragically short. And i have to hope that whether Kelsie was careless or whether she had a hand in her daughter's death, that the history doesn't repeat itself with those in Kelsie's care. And that Cloe's life and death meant something to those around her.

Tomorrow Never Came: The Kelcey Fike Case.

Kelcey Renae Fike

She was fun, silly, energetic, happy, and shy, yet feisty. Anyone that met her couldn't help but love her. She had a distinctive laugh and a goldfish tattoo on her back. Kelcey was a free spirit who liked art, dance and music.

Kelcey was born on March 26th, 1987 in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona to Mary Jo and Randy Fike.

21-year-old Kelcey was excited about her new job and she had met the love of her life, Alex Young. He was a reservist for the National Guard. After a year of dating, Alex gave Kelcey a diamond promise ring and then the couple temporarily moved into a mobile home in Kearney, Nebraska.

Monday, June 16th, 2008, Alex was out of town when Kelcey came home from work around 5:30 p.m. Around 9 p.m., she took her basset hound, Dante, for a walk. Then Kelcey prepared for an upcoming trip as she talked on the phone to her mother. They ended the conversation with "Love  you, i'll talk to you tomorrow." But, tomorrow never came for Kelcey.

At around 4:30 the next morning, Kelcey's mobile home was ablaze, with her inside. As the smoke alarm in the trailer pierced  the air, all her neighbors could do was call her name and Dante's. By the time the firefighters showed up, the flames were too hot to attempt a rescue. 

When the fire was out and the smoke cleared, Kelcey's body was found on the floor, outside the master bedroom, where the fire had started. Dante was found in the living room, deceased.

Kelcey's trailer was old with a faulty furnace, so it was initially believed that the furnace had caught fire. However, as investigators took a closer look, they noticed that both the front door and the back door of the trailer were unlocked; making it possible for an intruder to enter. Additionally, investigators noted that Kelcey’s body did not appear to be badly burned by the fire. She also had bruises on her upper torso, her arms and her nose had been broken.  There was trauma to her lip as well as her cheek, she had blunt force trauma to her head and she had been manually strangled as well as with a ligature. They also found someone else's DNA on her body, suggesting that someone probably tried to sexually assault Kelcey and she fought back. Authorities now realized they had a murder on their hands that was fueled by a lot of rage. Someone wanted to make sure that Kelcey was dead and used the fire to try to cover it up.

Since it is common practice to look at those that were closest to the victim first, authorities looked at Kelcey's boyfriend, Alex. He was quickly ruled him out since he was far away from the crime scene at the time of the murder.

Investigators looked hard into Kelcey's past, but didn't find anyone that seemed to dislike Kelcey, let alone do the unspeakable things that were done to her. Even her exes seemed to still be on good terms with her. Police just couldn't figure out who would want to kill Kelcey or why. They were pretty sure it was someone that knew her well. Unless you were familiar with where Kelcey lived, her trailer was pretty hard to spot shoved between two businesses. Neighbors also didn't hear Dante barking at all, so he must have knew the perpetrator. There was also the unlocked door and the utter rage of the crime that made it seem personal.

Investigators were able to dig up surveillance footage from across the street from Kelcey's trailer. It showed a car leaving the trailer court the morning of the murder at 4:39 a.m., which was 10 minutes before the fire was reported. Police have not yet been able to identify the vehicle, but it is theorized that it might be a dark colored sedan.

Lab technicians are trying to separate the Kelcey's DNA from that of her killer. The DNA was meshed together by the firefighter's hoses. 

For now, there is nothing else to go on and Kelcey's case remains unsolved.

There is a $30,000 reward in place for any information leading to the capture and conviction of a suspect in Kelcey’s death.

If you have any information, contact Buffalo County Crime Stoppers at (308) 237-3424

I have to wonder if authorities looked into the employees of business on either side of Kelcey's trailer.

Drop Dead Gorgeous: The Unsolved Murder Of Model Paula Sladewski.

Paula Sladewski

"I’ll never get to see her again until we meet one day in heaven.”

She was a knockout and when she'd enter a room, heads would turn. She was bubbly and vivacious. Paula was full of life and loved animals, especially her two little dogs. Paula also loved looking good. As a toddler she would get into her sister's makeup and put it all over her face. As she grew up in Detroit, Michigan she was in dancing classes and enjoyed the attention her good looks brought her. She was a straight A student in school. 

Paula's mother, Patsy Watkins, wanted her to be a nurse and for a time that is what Paula wanted as well. So she went to college in California to study for a nursing career and which she financed by modeling.

Paula appeared in the 2003 video Playboy: The Ultimate Playmate Search. She also was working as an exotic dancer in strip clubs, which helped pay for her rich lifestyle. Patsy begged her daughter to leave that life behind and come back home, but Paula wouldn't listen.

Paula then moved in with Kevin Klym, who seemed to Paula's sister as a decent guy, but the family didn't really know him.

The last time Patsy saw Paula, Paula was on her way to Miami Beach. She told her mother that she'd be back to see her on her birthday and that she had something special planned.

A New Year's Eve Lady Gaga concert at the Fontainebleau brought 26-year-old Paula and her boyfriend Kevin from Michigan to Miami Beach. They spent the rest of the weekend clubbing. In the early hours of Sunday, January 3rd, 2010, they were at a night club named "Club Space"  at 34 NE 11 Street when Klym reportedly got kicked out of the club after arguing with Paula. She was dancing with all sorts of men and they were all over her and Klym just wanted to get Paula out of there. 

Klym took a cab back to their hotel in Miami Beach, and Paula stayed behind for another half a hour until she too was made to leave. Grainy camera footage shows Paula leaving the club around 7:20 a.m. with three bouncers following behind.

At 11:30 a.m., Klym woke up in the hotel room alone, that is when he realized that Paula wasn't there and became concerned. He talked to hotel staff, but they hadn't seen her. He then called around to hospitals. With no sign of Paula, Klym then went out to search for her and so people her picture on his cellphone. He had to do so on foot because he didn't have a vehicle. 

With the search coming up fruitless, Klym reported Paula missing to the police. Desperate to find her, he also hired private investigator David Wasser. Wasser scoured the area and talked to cab drivers as well as street artists and homeless people, but he came up empty as well.

Klym then called the medical examiner's office. A Jane Doe had been found 12 miles from Club Space.

Fourteen hours after Paula had left the club, her burned body had found later that day in a dumpster at NW 14 Avenue and 130 Street next to what was then a propane company. A resident named Christopher Michael had seen the fire and called police. Paula was identified through dental records.

Paula's family was heartbroken. Her mother contemplated suicide. To this day she still struggles to live without her daughter and wears Paula's ashes everywhere she goes.

Authorities couldn't come to a conclusion how she had died, but they do believe that she was deceased before being set on fire. It is thought that since there was no apart gunshot or knife wounds that Paula was strangled to death.

Since he was one of the last people to see her alive, Klym was initially a suspect. Paula reportedly told a friend she was afraid of Klym, and her stepfather told media outlets she and Klym had a "horrible relationship."  Paula had told her mother that Klym had threatened that if she ever left him, that he'd killer and cut her up into pieces. Klym also had been arrested on a domestic violence charge from breaking Paula's nose. Police interrogated  Klym for over 10 hours. He seemed genuinely  distraught and cooperated every step of the way.

Police ultimately cleared Klym after his alibi checked out and when they released a sketch of a possible suspect that some said they saw leave the club with Paula. The suspect was described as a heavyset black male or Hispanic male with a goatee. Klym went on the Today show to say the sketch looked like a bouncer from the club.

However, Space issued a statement at the time saying the person seen following Paula on video wasn't an employee at the club. The club's owner said three employees saw the man walk up to Paula on the street in front of the club, talk to her, and walk away with her.

Police questioned Klym, club employees, witnesses, and the person who reported the fire. Everyone was cleared. Unfortunately, Klym reportedly kept Paula's phone when he left the club, so they couldn't use it to track Paula's path. There were no cameras to show where she went beyond the club exit. 

When you come out of Club Space, there's a row of taxis that circle the club. So investigators say that she could've jumped in a cab, gotten a ride from someone. She could have gone anywhere and done anything.

Investigators think whoever killed Paula must have known the area where her body was left because it was out of the way and wasn't highly traveled. It is theorized that she was killed somewhere else before being brought to the dumpster and being set on fire.

Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 or the North Miami Police Department at 305-891-0924.

"The Bosses Never Go Where The Coal Turns Black To Red": The Castle Gate Mine Disaster.

Castle Gate is now a ghost town located in Carbon County in eastern Utah, United States, 90 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. However, in the late 1800's to the early 1900's it was a booming mining community known for the April 21st, 1897, robbery of the Pleasant Valley Coal Company by Butch Cassidy and Elzy Lay in broad daylight. 

They made of with an estimated at $8,800

Employees of the mine first lived in old boxcars provided by the railroad. In time, homes and buildings were built as more people came. 

Men earned 60 cents for every ton of coal removed from the mine. Working alongside their fathers, boys as young as six-years-old loaded the ore into coal cars, carefully removing any rocks.

Castle Gate Mine #1, opened around 1886, after the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad constructed its Utah Division over the Wasatch Plateau, from the town of Springville. The mine produced high-quality coal for the steam trains. 

In November 1903 miners in Carbon County went on strike, protesting the dangerous working conditions of the Utah coal mines and sought better wages and hours.

The Utah Fuel Company didn't like this and restricted credit payments to the strikers and evicted them from their homes. The company then recruited local farmers to work in the mines. The Utah government also sent in the Utah National Guard.

A tent colony for the striking miners had been established between Helper and Castle Gate. In April 1904 labor organizer Mother Jones arrived in Utah which led to a confrontation between local law-enforcement officers and the strikers. On April 25, the sheriff and a 45-man posse entered the camp and arrested 120 Italians who were herded into boxcars and sent to a makeshift jail in Price to await trial. Eleven were found guilty of various offenses and the rest were set free.
Castle Gate Mine #2 opened in 1912, and was found to have the finest coal in the region. In 1914, Castle Gate was incorporated as a town, which was owned and tightly controlled by the Utah Fuel Company and the D&RGW. A third mine opened in 1922.

March 8, 1924, was a cold Saturday morning. Sometime before 7:00 a.m., 171 miners entered Castle Gate Mine #2. At 7:30 a.m., less than an hour later,  a fire boss had discovered some gas near the roof of the mine tunnel. When he climbed up to investigate, his carbide light went out. When he attempted to relight his lamp, the flame from his match ignited the gas.

The gas and the coal dust set off a gigantic explosion that ripped through the mine with such force that wreckage was spewed nearly half a mile across the canyon.The explosion blew out the carbide lamps of all the men in the mine. When the men tried to light their lamps, they set off another explosion that took out the wall of the mine's fan house. Twenty minutes later, a third explosion sliced the mine's steel doors from its concrete frame.

The mine entrance and main tunnel caved in. Rail lines twisted. Roof supports snapped. Ventilation controls were destroyed, and the air and escape shafts filled with gas.

Rescue workers came from all the surrounding areas to help. The leader of the rescue crew, died from carbon monoxide inhalation while attempting to reach the victims shortly after the explosion. Women cooked for bereaved families, tended children, and sew mourning clothing.

Anguished, grieving wives and children waited to hear whether their husbands and fathers had been found. Five-year-old Maria Tagliabue looked through a pile of clothing until she found her father’s socks. A newspaper reported that when she realized “she had really found her daddy, little Maria’s eyes filled with tears and muffled sobs racked her.”

One of Archie Henderson's children went gone back to the mine to get the hat his father had worn.

It took nine days to recover all of the bodies, not one soul survived.

The mourning widows and children of the Castle Gate tragedy received up to $15 a week for six years. Also, for 12 years after the disaster the state paid for a welfare worker, Annie D. Palmer, to visit and help the widows and their children.

The Castle Gate mine disaster currently ranks as the 10th worst mining disaster in United States history and the second worst mining disaster in the history of the state of Utah.

Miners Killed in the Castle Gate Mine Explosion

Living In Fear: The Tragic Case Of Single Mother, Nicole Leger.

Nicole Kristine Leger

Nicole made friends easily. She was very independent and people looked up to her.

She was born on February 7th, 1979 in Fort Worth, Denton County, Texas to Richard Gary Cox and Deborah Diane Hudson. She grew up in the Ft. Worth, Texas area where she graduated from Burleson High School. Nicole worked for Southwest Securities as a stock broker associate for a number of years. She volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and was a member of the “Mom’s Club”.

She was only 17 when she got pregnant with her son. Nicole was an amazing single mom taking on both parenting rolls. She worked hard to provide for her son. She danced in clubs, worked for a stockbroker and was excepted to nursing school. Then she met Michael Adams.

Adams was a repo man with dyed jet black hair and lived in red brick mini mansion in upscale Frisco, a suburb of Dallas. He made Nicole feel like a queen. He would surprise her with flowers and "I Love You" notes. He also had a terrible case of OCD. He had to have everything in order at all times, even his extensive gun collection.

Nicole and her son eventually moved in with Adams. That is when they learned how OCD Adams really was. He had to have all the labels of items in the fridge facing the same way and no one was allowed to sit on the couch. One night Nicole served her favorite food, spaghetti and a a drop of sauce ended up on the tile floor as well as some spots in the microwave. Adams berated the two for about a week. 

Adams began fighting with Nicole all the time and just after two months, Nicole and her son moved out. That is when Adams went to Nicole's house and asked her to marry him. She was ecstatic and, with her son it tow, moved back in with Adams. Nicole wasn't happy for very long.

One day Adams became enraged at Nicole and ripped the ring off her finger so violently that she had to go to the hospital to get a splint for her finger. After this incident, Nicole moved out into an apartment and called off the engagement.

While living in the apartment, their beloved chihuahua, Penelope, ran away. Someone had unlocked the door o their apartment and left it open while they were gone. Besides Nicole and her son, Adams had a key to their apartment as well. Two days later, Nicole and her son found Penelope, she had been run over.

Another time while Nicole and her son were gone, someone gained entry into their apartment again and poured bleach all over their clothes.That wasn't the end of the "bad luck" Nicole and her son would endure. They even had their car lit on fire and it was a total loss. 

Nicole had no choice to ask Adams to cosign for a new car, which he did. Then, one day around lunch time, Nicole went over to Adams' house to get what belongings she had left their and to ask if he would sign over the car title. Adams made spaghetti for Nicole that he had laced with a knock-out drug. Nicole got up and went to get her stuff and the room started spinning. Adams then walked Nicole to the bedroom, stripped her naked and violently assaulted her with a sex toy. She couldn't move her arms and legs to fight back, all she could do was keep telling Adams no. Adams then took a bunch of pictures and Nicole passed out. While she was unconscious, Adam, pretending to be Nicole, sent Nicole's son a text saying that she was out with a guy she had been seeing and she was going to stay at his place.

When Nicole woke up she had been hog-tied and duct tape was over he mouth. At some point, Adams had untied Nicole and she somehow got away and ended up pounding on the neighbors door for help. Adams caught her before anyone came to the door and dragged her into his garage. There he threw her on top of a tarp, cuffed her hands and zip-tied her ankles. He then cut of Nicole's hair.

Nicole finally wiggled her way out of her ties, but she couldn't get the handcuffs off, so she tried talking to Adams. She told him that they could go to therapy and work things out. She also promised him that she wouldn't press charges if he let her go. 

Adams ended up letting Nicole go and she did pressed charges against him. Nicole told the detective that Adams couldn't control his anger and that he was going to end up killing her if they didn't pick him up. Unfortunately, the detective told her that they couldn't pick him up right away. However, they did get a search warrant and searched Adams' Lexus. Before he could get rid of it, police found the ties that he had used to bind Nicole as well as the sex toy, duct tape and even the tainted spaghetti.

Adams was taken in to custody where he plead not guilty to sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping. Which is a first degree felony. This carries a penalty of five to ninety-nine years in a state prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000. Despite this, Adams made bail.  Nicole, fearing for her life, took her son and moved to another town in another county.

Nicole and her son were living in Melissa, Texas where she had rented a home and payed the utilities under a friend's name in attempts to hide from Adams. But that didn't help. Despite a protective order against him, he found then using his work computer along with a GPS tracker he secretly had placed on her car. He then left a tarp and handcuffs on the steps in front of her house. He also phoned her and threatened to kill her if she testified against him in the Denton County cases.

Nicole told her new love interest, Scott Grier, about the tarp and handcuffs. Grier was the detective that she had first came to when Adams had kidnapped her. It turned out that Grier also had inappropriate relationships with four other women he was suppose to be helping, which led to him resigning.

On the morning of September 9th, 2013, Nicole son told his mother goodbye and she kissed him on the forehead as he headed off to school. When he arrived home later, Nicole's son felt like everything felt out of place and something didn't seem right. He went over to her bedroom door and knocked on it, but Nicole didn't answer. Her son peeked under the door and saw her foot hanging off her bed. Thinking that she was asleep he knocked a little bit louder and tried to open the door, but it was locked. Nicole's son then went into the kitchen to get a ball point pen to try to pop open the door. Once inside he saw a terrible scene. His mother was lying on her bed, her underwear down on one ankle, her shirt was lifted up over her chest and she had been shot twice in the face and had died instantly. Nicole's son then ran out of the house and utterly heartbroken called 9-1-1. 

Adams claimed he was at Homedepot at the time of Nicole's murder. There was surveillance video that appeared to back up his claims. And at the crime scene cops found two different used condoms from two different men. One of those condoms, however, had touch DNA on the outside from Adams. They searched his storage shed and found an arsenal. Tests proved that one of the guns from that shed was the one that killed Nicole.

Adams was eventually charged with capital murder. After less than two hours of deliberation, the jury came back with a guilty verdict. And Adams was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Every year on Nicole's birthday he has spaghetti in her honor.