World News | Stepfather of murdered Delaware 3-year-old pleads guilty to child endangerment

Dover (USA) , May 26 (AP) — The stepfather of a 3-year-old girl whose body was found years ago on a softball field has pleaded guilty to child endangerment crimes, according to a plea agreement released Friday. Delaware judge.

Brandon Haas, 41, pleaded guilty in March to one felony and three misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child. None of the offenses have mandatory prison time, although the felony charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Probation is a constructive sentence for each of the four counts.

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The plea agreement was made public a day after Haas’ wife, Kristie Haas, pleaded guilty to murder by cruelty or negligence in the 2019 death of her daughter, Emma Grace Cole. Christy Haas also pleaded guilty to torture of a dead body and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Kristie Haas, 31, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, the day her trial begins. Sentencing for Brandon Haas, who has been cooperating with prosecutors, is expected sometime in the fall.

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The plea agreement, sealed after a partial gag order imposed in June 2021 to limit what lawyers can say about the case, has drawn widespread media attention.

In September 2019, a dog walker discovered the child’s body at Smyrna-Clayton Little Lass Fields, a softball field near Smyrna Middle School in central Delaware.

At the time, Emma lived less than a mile from the pitch with her parents and three siblings. Authorities believe Emma had been dead for weeks before her body was found.

Haas and her husband were arrested in Pennsylvania in October 2020, more than a year after the child’s body was found. Both were initially charged with felony counts of child abuse, child endangerment and obstructing the prosecution of Emma’s death, as well as misdemeanor child endangerment involving her siblings.

Kristy Haas was also charged with felony assault, torturing a dead body and reckless burning. The charges against her were later upgraded to include two counts of murder.

Authorities accused the couple of denying Emma food and medical care and “torturing or ill-treatment” her, while also subjecting her and her siblings to excessive forced exercise and inappropriate corporal punishment.

As part of the plea deal, Brandon Haas agreed to have no contact with the couple’s other three children for eight years. He was also ordered to undergo substance abuse and mental health assessments.

Brandon Haas’ trial was scheduled to begin on July 10. If convicted on all charges, he faces more than 40 years in prison.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to recommend a 50-year sentence for Kristy Haas. The murder charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, with Superior Court Judge Noel Primus exempt from sentencing recommendations. (Associated Press)

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