Thursday, September 03, 2015

Couple pleads not guilty as preparations made to fly child to Hawaii for funeral

A public defender was appointed today for the woman charged with the felony abuse of a two-year-old Carthage girl that police say led to the girl's death.

Tearra Diane Olson, 20, Carthage, pleaded not guilty during a video arraignment. Her fiancee, Albert Steven O'Connor, pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of endangering the welfare of the child. The two have only been in Carthage for a few months, coming here from Fairfield, California.

The probable cause affidavit indicates that O'Connor's daughter, Emalata Hoeft, had refused to eat, was crying, and a frustrated Olson slammed the girl's head against a hard surface three times.

Olson and O'Connor had left her alone at home, locked in her room, with a sippy cup, while he worked at Butterball and she worked at Flex-o-Lators, according to the probable cause affidavit.

The Carthage Press reports that Emalata's mother, Frida Hoeft, had booked a flight to Joplin last week to pick up Emalata. Hoeft and O'Connor had a shared custody agreement. Now Emalata will be flown to Honolulu, Hawaii, later this week for her burial.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

How in the world are you going to plead not guilty to child abuse and child endangerment when everyone knows that is what you did? She would've still been alive if you hadn't slammed her head 3 times against a hard surface. I haven't met Ema, but she is my niece and I have heard so many wonderful stories about her and seen so many videos of what a happy baby she was. I am a mother of 6 children, and my kids throw fits all the time about what they want to eat, what they don't want, but I would never slam their heads against a hard surface. My youngest is 2 yrs old, so hearing of what Ema went through breaks my heart. 2 weeks she would've been back with her mother. If you both knew you couldn't raise her, why didn't you just give Frida full custody? Rest in Peace Baby Ema!

Unknown said...

What the heck man? Freakin just die the both of you.

Anonymous said...

This is Evil!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

It's so sad to read something like this. Someone should slam that Lady Olson's face to a hard surface. Poor ema what she had to go thru while with her dad and the dads girlfriend. My heart breaks for Ema'z mom that she gotta make a burial for her daughter. I may not knw you Frida Hoeft I'm sorry for your lost, I pray that our father in heaven will heal your heart, it hurts that you have to go thru this and you gotta bury your daughter. May baby ema rest in peace for she is with God and the angels. Keep praying and keep your faith ms Frida God will get you and your family thru this.Stay blessed aloha

Unknown said...

both deservd jail...
may u rest ur soul angel

Anonymous said...

The things children have to go though coz of messed up people !..

Hope they never get the chance to raise a child again.

Anonymous said...

If you are able to. PLEASE help with Ema's funeral cost and lawyer fees the family may need to bring her the justice she deserves. http://www.gofundme.com/ns3kqym4

Anonymous said...

Thing is, kids at that age don't want to eat sometimes. Its called physiological anorexia and it's completely normal. No child should be disciplined in such a way for not eating. And what was the father's fiance doing disciplining a child that isn't hers?

Building Bridges Continuously said...

How can u post a picture of baby emma with the offender...its fake we have many pictures of her with people who truly loved her...take this picture down and put up the real puctures of real live