REMEMBERING AUTUMN

Autumn Lynn Elgersma was a joyful three year old little girl whose family left behind something precious after her death: memories of who Autumn really was. She was born on July 14, 2010, in Orange City, Iowa, to Philip and Jennifer Elgersma. She had a sister, Faith, and a brother, Jared, and her family remembered her as a wonderful sister and friend to them. Autumn loved riding her tricycle, playing games and watching Dora. She loved dressing up with her best friend, Addison. She was affectionate and freely gave hugs and kisses. Church was also an important part of Autumn's little world. She loved music, enjoyed singing along with songs about Jesus and attended Children and Worship. When she went to church, she made a point of finding her great grandmother, who would give her gummy bears. Autumn's favorite color was purple. Her family remembered a little girl who brought joy to the people around her and whose face seemed to radiate happiness. After Autumn died, her parents described her simply as a joy in their lives and said they felt blessed to have been her parents. Those details matter because Autumn's story would eventually become known throughout Iowa because of the violence that ended her life. But before any of that happened, she was a little girl riding her trike, watching Dora, dressing up with her friend, singing songs and looking for Great Grandma's gummy bears. That was Autumn.

AUTUMN'S STORY

On October 29, 2013, Autumn was being cared for at the Orange City home of Rochelle Sapp, who operated an in home daycare. Sapp was not a stranger to Autumn's family. She was someone they knew and trusted with their three year old daughter. That morning, Sapp contacted Jennifer Elgersma and told her that Autumn had fallen down a flight of stairs while going to play in the basement. Jennifer picked up her daughter and took her to the hospital. Autumn had suffered a devastating head injury. Doctors determined that her condition was so serious that she needed a higher level of care. She was airlifted from Orange City to Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. There, doctors discovered a fractured skull and severe trauma to Autumn's brain. The explanation that Autumn had simply fallen down the stairs did not fit what investigators were seeing. Police began investigating.Sapp initially maintained that Autumn's injuries had resulted from a fall. But after further questioning, her account changed. Sapp admitted that she had become angry with Autumn while the little girl was having difficulty taking off her coat. She admitted causing Autumn's injuries by throwing or slamming her to the floor. Autumn never recovered. For two days, her family remained with her as doctors tried to save her.

On October 31, 2013, Autumn Lynn Elgersma died at Sanford Children's Hospital. The Iowa State Medical Examiner determined that Autumn died from blunt force injury to her head. Her death was ruled a homicide. But as the investigation continued, another devastating truth emerged. October 29 had not been the first time Autumn had been hurt while in Sapp's care.

WARNING SIGNS & MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

In the months before Autumn died, she had come home from Sapp's daycare with injuries. There had been bloody lips. A split chin. A black eye. Each time, Autumn's mother accepted the explanations she was given because she trusted the woman caring for her daughter. The extent of the earlier abuse became clearer when the criminal case was resolved. Sapp entered an Alford plea to child endangerment involving multiple acts. By entering that plea, she did not admit guilt to those additional incidents but acknowledged that prosecutors had sufficient evidence to convict her. The charge involved evidence that Autumn had been injured on three other occasions during the approximately eight months preceding the fatal assault. That changed the understanding of Autumn's death. What happened on October 29 was not simply one terrible moment involving a caregiver who suddenly lost control. There was evidence of previous harm. But those earlier injuries had explanations attached to them, and Autumn's family had no reason at the time to believe that a trusted friend and caregiver was deliberately hurting their daughter. There is an important distinction in Autumn's case. I found no reliable evidence establishing that child protective services or another government agency had previously received reports that Sapp was abusing Autumn and then failed to intervene. The missed opportunities were hidden behind the trust Sapp had established with Autumn's family.

The person who knew the truth about those injuries was the person providing the explanations for them. By the time that trust was shattered, Autumn had suffered an injury she could not survive.

JUSTICE FOR AUTUMN

Rochelle Sapp was initially charged with willful injury and child endangerment while Autumn was still alive. After Autumn died, those charges were dismissed while authorities awaited the results of the autopsy and continued their investigation.

In December 2013, after Autumn's death had been ruled a homicide, Sapp was charged with first degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death.

The case did not ultimately go to trial on the murder charge. On October 16, 2014, Sapp pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment resulting in death. She also entered an Alford plea to child endangerment involving multiple acts related to the previous injuries Autumn had suffered. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed the first degree murder charge. Sapp was originally sentenced to two consecutive 50 year prison terms for the child endangerment convictions, resulting in an indeterminate sentence of up to 100 years. But that sentence did not remain intact. On October 15, 2015, District Court Judge Edward Jacobson reconsidered the sentence and ordered the two 50 year sentences to run at the same time rather than consecutively. That reduced Sapp's total indeterminate prison sentence from 100 years to 50 years. The decision was made without prior notice to the county attorney, the Iowa Attorney General's Office or Autumn's family. Sioux County Attorney Thomas Kunstle and the Iowa Attorney General's Office examined whether the reduction could be challenged. Ultimately, officials concluded there was no legal mechanism available to overturn the judge's reconsideration. The 50 year sentence remained in effect.

 

Rochelle Sapp

Relationship to Autumn: Daycare provider

Convictions: Involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment resulting in death

Additional conviction: Child endangerment involving multiple acts through an Alford plea

Original sentence: Indeterminate prison sentence of up to 100 years

Reconsidered sentence: Indeterminate prison sentence of up to 50 years

FOREVER REMEMBERED

Autumn's story did not end inside a courtroom. Her family made certain of that. In the years after Autumn died, her name became attached to something created specifically to help other children. Autumn's Center, operated by Seasons Center for Behavioral Health in northwest Iowa, was named in her honor. So was Camp Autumn. The programs serve children and young people needing behavioral and mental health support. Autumn's mother, Jennifer, along with Phil, Faith and Jared, became involved in raising awareness about child abuse and helping protect other children. That gives Autumn's name a legacy far removed from the violence of October 29. A child can walk into a place bearing Autumn's name and receive help. A family struggling with a child in crisis can encounter her name while searching for support. Children can spend time outdoors at a therapeutic camp named for a three year old girl they never had the opportunity to meet.And somewhere behind that name is still the little girl her own family remembers. Autumn riding her trike. Autumn watching Dora. Autumn playing dress up. Autumn singing. Autumn handing out hugs and kisses. Autumn searching for Great Grandma and those gummy bears. The woman who hurt Autumn changed the length of her life. She did not get to decide what Autumn's life would ultimately mean. Her family helped write that part. Abuse Angels remembers Autumn Lynn Elgersma for the joy she brought during her three years and for the children who continue to encounter her name through the legacy created in her memory. We remember Autumn. We speak her name. And Autumn Lynn Elgersma will not be forgotten.