A woman from Delaware, Kristie Haas, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to the murder of her 3-year-old daughter, Emma Grace Cole.
Haas was also found guilty of abuse of a corpse and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child for mistreating Emma's half-siblings. The tragic case revealed that Emma had suffered from starvation and torture before her death. During the sentencing, Haas expressed remorse for the pain and hurt she had caused. The judge, Noel Primos, agreed with the recommended sentence of 30 years, acknowledging the excessive cruelty involved in Haas' crime and the impact it had on Emma's family.
Haas admitted to her actions, acknowledging her drug abuse, mental health issues, and tumultuous relationship with Emma's stepfather, Brandon Haas. She revealed that on the day of the incident, she left her daughter's body on a softball field in Smyrna, believing she could get away with it. Brandon Haas, who later pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child, was to be sentenced separately. Emma's body was discovered in September 2019 near Smyrna Middle School.
Authorities believe she had been dead for several weeks prior to the discovery. Kristie and Brandon Haas were apprehended in Pennsylvania in October 2020. Prosecutors revealed that the couple had deprived Emma of food and medical attention and subjected her to ongoing torture and maltreatment.
They also imposed excessive exercise and inappropriate physical discipline on Emma and her siblings. According to the prosecutor, Kevin Smith, after finding Emma unresponsive, Kristie Haas attempted to revive her with a cold shower and prevented Brandon Haas from calling emergency services. Haas later discarded her daughter's clothing while stating that Emma was gone for good. Haas deceived her family members about Emma's absence, falsely claiming that the child, whom she referred to as having "the devil in her eyes," was in a facility for children with mental illness.
During the sentencing, Primos heard emotional statements from Emma's father, Joshua Douthitt, her great-aunt and former guardian, Tanya Conley, and Haas' mother, Belinda Johnson. Douthitt expressed his incomprehension as to why his daughter had to lose her life, stating that she was a beautiful baby who didn't deserve such a fate. Conley, in a letter read by the prosecutor, described Emma as a happy and healthy child who enjoyed activities like watching Paw Patrol, swimming, playing with cats, and being sung to at bedtime. Conley shared that she now sings "You Are My Sunshine" at Emma's gravesite instead of at her bedside.
Johnson, Haas' mother, urged the judge not to prohibit Haas from having contact with the surviving children during her time in prison. Primos found the prosecution's request inappropriate but ordered that Haas have no contact with the children while they are minors unless authorized by an Indiana court with jurisdiction over their custody.
All three surviving children will reach adulthood in less than 10 years. Haas' defense attorney, Patrick Collins, emphasized that while it is easy to portray Haas as a monster, her life has been plagued by a series of hardships, including childhood abuse, poverty, domestic violence, and mental illness. Collins blamed drug addiction as the true monster in Haas' life, stating that both she and Brandon were addicted to methamphetamine.
Collins added that Haas had not been adequately prepared to be a mother, despite her desire to do so. In conclusion, Kristie Haas has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of her daughter. The case shed light on the severe abuse and neglect suffered by Emma Grace Cole before her tragic death. The sentencing hearing heard from grieving family members and highlighted the devastating impact of Haas' actions.
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