Howard Jansen III does not approve of the murder of Olivia Jansen

Howard Jansen III

A Kansas father will not fight charges of brutally killing his 3-year-old daughter, then dumping her body in the woods and reporting her missing in 2020. Howard Jansen III officially does not object to one count of second-degree murder and countless other murder-related charges Olivia JansenWyandotte County’s DA office confirmed to Law & Crime on Tuesday.

According to a report from NBC affiliate Topeka KSNT. child and one count of interfering with law enforcement. In return, prosecutors reduced the first-degree murder charge Jansen faced initially. The plea was made last week.

Jansen’s then girlfriend Jacqulyn A. Kirkpatrick in november pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and abusing a child under the age of six in Olivia’s death. Equal previous report Under Law & Crime, a judge in December sentenced her to 376 months (31 years and 3 months) in prison, meaning her release date could be as early as 2047. Her plea agreement. including an agreement to testify against Jansen at trial.

Olivia Jansen, Kansas City Police Department

During Kirkpatrick’s November hearing before the Wyandotte County District Court Judge Michael A. Russell, prosecutors recounted in graphic detail the abuse Olivia suffered at the hands of Kirkpatrick and Jansen in the months before she was brutally beaten to death.

Prosecutors reported tell the court that the couple would keep Olivia “locked in the dog kennel at her house” and force her to stand in the corner of the room for hours without sitting down. Other children in the home told investigators that Kirkpatrick often pushed Olivia’s head against the wall.

According to court documents, prosecutors allege that Kirkpatrick and Jansen falsely reported Olivia’s disappearance in an attempt to trigger the Amber Alert on July 10, 2020. Jansen called 911 at approx. 8:30 a.m. and told the dispatcher that he woke up two hours earlier. found Olivia missing and the back door of his house on Gibbs Road left open.

An Amber Alert was issued to trigger a multi-agency search to find Olivia, but the search was suspended later that evening when authorities found Olivia’s body about a foot from Jansen’s home. 9 blocks, in a wooded area in the 3400 block of Steele Road, near South 34th Street. . Investigator speak According to KMBC-TV, the Kansas City-based ABC affiliate KMBC-TV, an anonymous tip led them to the girl’s remains.

According to prosecutors, Olivia’s body was found in a shallow grave dug in the mud. She was wearing pajamas and was said to have “serious bruises” covering her face, arms and legs, as well as multiple lacerations to the back of her head that suggest she had been beaten to death. An autopsy later determined that Olivia’s death was homicide and that the cause of death was severe brain bleeding.

Jansen and Kirkpatrick were arrested that evening.

Howard Jansen III and Jacqulyn Kirkpatrick via KSHB-TV screenngrab

The case also brought attention to the perceived shortcomings of the Kansas Department of Children and Families (DCF).

Elisabeth JansenOlivia’s Grandma, June 22, 2020 contacted DCF to report that Olivia’s caregivers had abused drugs. In addition to her drug abuse, she also said that she feared Howard’s short temper. A representative spoke to Olivia on June 30 and July 7, and Howard Jansen tested positive for THC, but the agency said there was not enough evidence for authorities to take Olivia out of detention.

Original DCF Concerned about releasing the summary and case file, but the agency released the summary after determining that Olivia’s death was caused by child abuse. The entire 533-page case file, including the investigation report into Olivia’s death, has yet to be released to the public.

[image via Wyandotte County Detention Center]

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