A Kansas woman received a nearly 18-year prison sentence on Monday after pleading no contest to several charges in connection with the tragic death of her 6-year-old daughter.
In August, Crystina Schroer entered a no contest plea, which means she neither admitted to the crimes nor disputed the charges, as reported by KWCH.
The decomposed remains of Kennedy Schroer were discovered in a trash bag buried in the backyard of her adoptive parents’ residence in September 2024, according to CrimeOnline. An autopsy conducted by the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center concluded that the young girl died from probable suffocation, classifying it as a homicide.
Authorities revealed that Kennedy’s body had been interred for approximately four years before it was discovered.
Both Crystina Schroer and her husband, Joseph Schroer, faced arrest in February, facing numerous charges. Crystina was charged with murder, aggravated kidnapping, child abuse/torture, theft, forgery, Medicaid fraud, and desecration of a corpse. Meanwhile, Joseph faced charges of child abuse/torture, liability for another’s crimes, interference with law enforcement, theft, and Medicaid fraud.
Prosecutors alleged that Kennedy was confined overnight in a small box on the fatal night, leading to her suffocation. Crystina Schroer claimed that Kennedy was placed in the box by another child after she had separated them during a fight, as reported by Law&Crime.
But the other little girl said that it was her mother who forced Kennedy into the box for moving during the night and that it was a frequent punishment.
The probable cause affidavit said that Crystina Schroer told her husband and other family members that the state took Kennedy back because of behavior issues.
The little girl’s body was found four years later after first responder were called to the home for a suicide attempt by Crystina Schroer. She told police when they arrived that “her life was over and that no one was going to look at her the same.”
Butler County Attorney Darrin Devinney said that Crystina Schroer was abusive to other children in her care and that those children — three biological children and two adopted children — are in state custody, KWCH said.
“They’re receiving anything and everything that they possibly need, not just to get over the trauma of what went on at [the Schroer] home, but also we want them to be safe, stable, productive and give them some permanency as well, so they can lead hopefully a productive life,” he said.
Kennedy’s biological family attending the sentencing on Monday.
Crystina Schroer pleaded no contest to second-degree murder, child abuse, making false information, and welfare fraud.
Joseph Schroer pleaded no contest in October to two counts of endangering child while the other charges against him were dismissed, KSN reported. He is scheduled for sentencing on December 3.
