Sentencing date set for father of murdered Carthage two-year-old

A 9 a.m. August 22 sentencing date has been set for Albert Steven O'Connor, 28, Carthage, who pleaded guilty Monday in Jasper County Circuit Court to a felony charge of endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the August 29, 2015, death of his two-year-old daughter Emalata Hoeft.

The next hearing for O'Connor's girlfriend, Tearra Diane Olson, 21, who is charged with second degree murder and abuse or neglect of a child, is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday, September 2, before Judge David Mouton.

Olson told police she slammed the child's head against a hard surface three times, resulting in the child's death.

Olson was living with the child's father, Albert

Steven O'Conner. She told police that Emalata Hoeft was crying and out of frustration she hit the child's head against the hard surface.

Olson and O'Conner left the girl 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 affidavit.