Mother sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to abandoning baby in tire

The mother of the baby who was found dead inside a backpack inside a tire was sentenced to five years of probation Monday. Lavosha Daniels pleaded guilty to abandonment of a corpse and first-degree involuntary manslaughter in November.

Boone County Circuit Judge Kevin Crane presided over the hearing and issued the sentence.

If Daniels violates her probation, she will concurrently serve four years in prison for abandonment of a corpse and seven years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.

The child’s father, Staffone Fountain, was sentenced to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections in August after pleading guilty to abandonment of a corpse and involuntary manslaughter.

Boone County Assistant Prosecutor Susan Boresi chose to present evidence at the sentencing hearing Monday. She called Columbia Police Department detective Renee Wilbarger to testify on the stand.

“The remains were badly decomposed, to the point that there were only some bone fragments,” Wilbarger said.

Wilbarger said fractures found on the child’s remains were suggestive of ongoing child abuse. At the time of locating the child’s remains, Wilbarger said police were unable to identify the parents of the child.

Wilbarger said a Super 8 manager contacted the police, providing a letter to police that the manager had found in a drawer.

“The letter indicated that the mother, Lavosha Daniels, had found the child and attempted to perform CPR, which had been unsuccessful,” Wilbarger said.

Boresi questioned Wilbarger about her findings during the investigation — particularly that there had been questions of child abuse.

“Ms. Daniels was extremely concerned with Mr. Fountain’s behavior towards the children, not only when she wasn’t present, but when she was present,” Wilbarger said.

Wilbarger said Daniels did not report this behavior to law enforcement or any other individuals.

“initially she indicated that she was not a participant in the disposal of the body,” Wilbarger said. “However, later she confirmed that she had purchased the backpack.”

Daniels’ public defender, Manuel Tatayon, questioned Wilbarger about how victims of abuse react to their abuser. Wilbarger agreed it is not uncommon for victims of abuse to not seek help when in an abusive relationship.

Crane said Daniels indicated in the Sentence Assessment Report that she bought the backpack in fear the baby’s father, Fountain, was going to hurt the 3-year-old she had in her custody.

Boresi also called the adoptive mother of the child’s twin to testify. The adoptive mother testified that she had always hoped that the twins could reunite one day and asked for Daniels to be held accountable for her actions.

Crane asked the adoptive mother: “You want me to put her in prison? Is that justice?”

Boresi asked Crane to sentence Daniels to seven years for involuntary manslaughter in the first degree and four years for abandonment of a corpse, to be served concurrently.