Deadly Duo: Rodney and Megan Staude charged with the murder of Megan’s newborn son, whose body was found on the side of a snowy road – Really? There are SAFE HAVEN LAWS in Iowa????

Iowa woman and her father charged in baby’s death
Two from Norwalk charged with murder in baby’s death
Norwalk woman, her father charged in baby’s death
Documents: Mother, grandfather accused of putting baby in trash bag, leaving body in ditch
Norwalk daughter, father admit to killing newborn son: court documents
Megan and Rodney Staude: Iowa woman and her father charged with murder after her newborn son found dead
Court documents: Iowa woman’s baby was still alive when placed in a trash bag
‘They were kinda weird’: Dad, daughter face murder charges after newborn boy left to die alone in snow despite Safe Haven laws

Defendants
Megan Staude
Rodney Staude

INMATE INFORMATION

MEGAN KATHERINE STAUDE
Age 25
Gender Female
Race White

Ethnicity Non-Hispanic
Date of Birth Aug 27, 1997
ID Number 94292
Custody Status Date Mar 14, 2023 04:09 PM CDT
Custody Status In Custody
Custody Detail Warren County Jail
Book Date Mar 13, 2023 08:15 PM CDT

LOCATION
Warren County Jail
115 North Howard Street
Indianola, IA 50125
(515) 961-1104

INMATE INFORMATION

RODNEY ARTHUR STAUDE
Age 64
Gender Male
Race White

Ethnicity Non-Hispanic
Date of Birth Apr 02, 1958
Aliases ROD
ID Number 35824
Custody Status Date Mar 13, 2023 07:30 PM CDT
Custody Status In Custody
Custody Detail Warren County Jail
Book Date Mar 13, 2023 07:16 PM CDT

LOCATION
Warren County Jail
115 North Howard Street
Indianola, IA 50125
(515) 961-1104

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Cold Case: Lee Ann Guerrette Daigle charged with the abandonment and death of newborn Baby Jane Doe in 1985

Find-A-Grave: Jane “Aroostook County Jane Doe” Doe
Mother accused of abandoning baby in subzero temperatures in far northern New England in 1985
Woman charged in murder of newborn who was found by dog in Maine gravel pit in 1985
In 1985, a dog in Maine found the body of a baby girl and carried her back to its home. Police just made an arrest.
Lowell, Massachusetts, woman accused of letting newborn baby die in Maine woods in 1985
36 years later, mother arrested for murder of ‘Baby Jane Doe’
Maine cold case of ‘Baby Jane Doe’ cracked 36 years later
A baby died outside in the cold in 1985. Now police say her mother’s to blame
Woman Charged with Murder 36 Years After Newborn ‘Baby Jane Doe’ Was ‘Abandoned in Below Zero Temperatures’ in Gravel Pit

Lee Ann Guerrette Daigle

Cold Case: Gail Eastwood-Ritchey killed her newborn son *Geauga’s Child*; Sentenced to life in prison

This case has really hit me. Apparently this is not the only time Gail Eastwood-Ritchey has done this. I do not have info on the other. But I cannot wrap my head around someone giving birth and then throwing that child away. She says the baby was not breathing, but the autopsy said otherwise. The wonderful people in Geauga County really stepped up and adopted this child that was thrown away. Yes, I know it was before Safe Haven laws, however, I am sure you could have dropped off that baby at a hospital.

Find-A-Grave: Geauga’s Child
Ohio mother charged in 1993 death of newborn appears in court
How ‘Geauga’s Child’, a 26-year-old cold case, was solved by detectives (timeline)
Gail Eastwood-Ritchey: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
New Date Set in Geauga’s Child Murder Trial
‘Geauga’s Child’ murder trial now scheduled for February
Geauga’s Child Murder Trial: Mom Of Dismembered Baby Boy Found In Trash Bag Claims Child Was Stillborn
‘Geauga’s Child’ murder trial: Closing arguments conclude, jury begins deliberations
Gail Eastwood Ritchey convicted of murder in 1993 death of ‘Geauga’s Child’
Mother found guilty in Geauga’s Child murder case
Jury finds Gail Eastwood-Ritchey guilty of murder, not guilty of aggravated murder in decades-old ‘Geauga’s Child’ case
Mother Convicted of Murdering Baby by Dumping Newborn in the Woods ‘Like a Piece of Garbage’
Jury Convicts Ohio Woman Of Murder Nearly 30 Years After Mutilated Newborn Was Found
Sentencing for mother in Geauga’s Child case
Woman found guilty in ‘Geauga’s Child’ trial sentenced life in prison with possibility of parole after 15 years
Gail Eastwood-Ritchey sentenced to life in prison for murder of baby in ‘Geauga’s Child’ case

INMATE INFORMATION

GAIL MARIE RITCHEY
Age 52
Gender Female
Race White

Ethnicity Unknown
Date of Birth Apr 26, 1970
ID Number 263965
Custody Status Date Apr 04, 2022 07:07 PM EDT
Custody Status In Custody
Custody Detail Geauga County Safety Center
Book Date Apr 04, 2022 06:56 PM EDT

LOCATION
Geauga County Safety Center
12450 Merritt Road
Chardon, OH 44024
(440) 279-2009

Cold Case: Lesa Lopez charged with the murder of her newborn son, Baby John Doe, in 1988 – Baby later renamed Richard Jayson Terrance Rein

Before the complaints start up, remember the child. It is NOT about the mother. She hid her pregnancy and then strangled the newborn when he was born. Yes, she needs to be charged and tried. He did not get a chance to live. She could have given him up for adoption. She could have left him at a hospital (Yes, I know that there probably was not a Safe Haven law, but during the 80s she could have just left him without telling anyone and he would still be alive! There is no excuse. No matter what, please remember this poor newborn, Richard, who did not have a chance at life.

DNA Evidence Leads To Arrest In 32-Year-Old John Doe Baby Homicide
Bay Area mother arrested in her baby’s 1988 killing thanks to DNA
Suspect arrested in 32-year-old Bay Area cold case murder of Baby John Doe
Arrest made in East Bay cold case involving newborn boy
DNA Evidence Leads To Arrest In 32-Year-Old Castro Valley John Doe Baby Homicide
DNA evidence leads to arrest of woman for her baby’s 1988 killing
Mother arrested in her baby’s 1988 killing thanks to DNA
Mother arrested in her baby’s 1988 killing thanks to DNA

INMATE INFORMATION

Update: Parents Gone Wild! Danielle Payne pled guilty, sentenced to 5 years to 15 years in prison

This is one of those “Mothers of the Year” nominees – Danielle Payne. If you don’t remember her, she is one who gave birth, put her newborn in a plastic bag and placed it in the trunk of her car. She pled guilty to manslaughter and today was sentenced to 5 years to 15 years in prison. In my opinion, not enough time, but I think that is all you can get for manslaughter. (It was a plea bargain I believe) I hope she thinks about the baby she threw away every single day she is there and for the rest of her life. She will get out of prison, so I hope she is able to become a better person, somehow. Personally, I am not optimistic, as anyone who throws away a newborn baby does not care about human life.

Parents Gone Wild! Danielle Payne threw away her baby
NY woman gets prison for killing her newborn
Woman Sentenced for Death of Newborn Baby

INMATE INFORMATION

Identifying and Location Information
As of 11/04/12
DIN (Department Identification Number) 10G0392
Inmate Name PAYNE, DANIELLE
Sex FEMALE
Date of Birth 02/28/1984
Race / Ethnicity WHITE
Custody Status IN CUSTODY
Housing / Releasing Facility TACONIC
Date Received (Original) 05/24/2010
Date Received (Current) 05/24/2010
Admission Type NEW COMMITMENT
County of Commitment ERIE

Crimes of Conviction
Crime: MANSLAUGHTER 2ND
Class: C

Sentence Terms and Release Dates

Aggregate Minimum Sentence 0005 Years, 00 Months, 00 Days
Aggregate Maximum Sentence 0015 Years, 00 Months, 00 Days
Earliest Release Date 04/05/2015
Earliest Release Type PAROLE ELIGIBILITY DATE
Parole Hearing Date 12/2014
Parole Hearing Type INITIAL RELEASE APPEARANCE
Parole Eligibility Date 04/05/2015
Conditional Release Date 04/05/2020
Maximum Expiration Date 04/05/2025