Arrest warrants issued after Bollinger County investigation into death of 8-year-old girl with special needs

More than two months after an investigation was launched into the March 22 death of an 8-year-old girl with myotonic dystrophy, arrest warrants were filed Friday by Bollinger County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Gray and signed Sunday by Judge Alan Beussink charging the girl’s parents with child abuse.

Heather J. Maddock

Heather J. Maddock and Michael C. Maddock, both of Marble Hill, Missouri, are each charged with one Class B felony count of abuse or neglect of a child resulting in serious emotional or physical injury, according to documents filed in Bollinger County Circuit Court. If convicted, the charge carries a range of punishment including a term of imprisonment of five to 15 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.

Felony complaints and probable-cause statements were originally filed in cases against each of the Maddocks on March 23, but amended complaints and probable-cause statements were filed May 29 to include additional witnesses and medical information.

The initial court filings stated documents from the Missouri Children’s Division referenced at least seven reports of concern for the 8-year-old were made between the dates of Sept. 24, 2014, and Oct. 30, 2019.

An autopsy conducted by the Bollinger County Coroner’s Office found the girl to be “undernourished” and weighed 34 pounds, according to the initial probable-cause statement written by Sgt. Nick Becker; and an infestation of lice was found throughout her hair, scalp, forehead and face. An area of black substance was also observed on a white pillow around the girls hair, which was later identified as feces from the bugs, according to the probable-cause statement.

On March 30, a doctor with St. Louis Children’s Hospital advised the prosecution the girl weighed 43 pounds in December 2019 — almost half the average weight of a child with the same condition and height, according to the amended court documents recently filed by prosecutors.

The amended probable-cause statement described the girl’s lice infestation as “significant” and stated methamphetamine was observed in the 8-year-old’s urine, according to documentation provided May 13 by the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team.

Becker’s amended statement also referenced a report completed by Dr. Douglas W. Beal — a medical consultant for the team and SAFE-CARE provider — which showed a 19% decrease in the girl’s health between the dates of Dec. 9 and March 22.

“Beal stated that the post-mortem photographs of Juvenile Female reveal a severely emaciated child, poor overall hygiene, and a severe infestation of head lice,” Becker stated in the amended probable-cause document. “Beal went on to state that Juvenile Female’s severe chronic malnutrition was either a significant contributive or causative factor of her death.”

A warrant for Heather J. Maddock’s arrest was issued Friday, and bond information was unavailable Tuesday. Michael C. Maddock has been arrested and remains in the custody of the Bollinger County Sheriff’s Office on a $50,000 surety bond.