Delaware mom sentenced for abusing 3-year-old daughter to death, leaving burned remains in field

SMYRNA, Del. (TCD) — A judge sentenced a 31-year-old woman to three decades in prison in connection with the beating death of her daughter, whose remains were found on a softball field.

The Delaware News Journal reports Kristie Haas received the 30-year sentence Thursday, Sept. 14, for abusing and killing 3-year-old Emma Grace Cole. In addition, a judge ordered Haas to probation for abusing her other children. She pleaded guilty in May to murder by abuse or neglect, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and one count of abuse of a corpse.

She and her husband, Brandon Haas, were indicted in April 2021 on charges of child abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. A month later, the Delaware Attorney General’s Office charged Kristie Haas with murder.

According to The Associated Press, Haas apologized at her sentencing hearing for “all the hurt that I inflicted and the pain that I caused,” adding, “I knew everything was wrong, and I was so messed up because of everything I did. I thought I could get away with it, to be honest.”

On Sept. 13, 2019, Smyrna Police were called to the Little Lass Softball fields after receiving a report about human remains being found. Officials were unable to positively identify Emma until a year later because her body had been burned.

The Delaware News Journal reports Haas abused her daughter by hitting her with objects such as a spatula and purse and made her carry heavy weights. The child was reportedly denied food and suffered from “intentional suffocation.”

In the news release announcing the indictments of both of Emma’s parents, the Delaware Attorney General’s Office said they “deprived Emma of sufficient food and needed medical attention and subjected Emma and her siblings to excessive forced exercise and inappropriate physical discipline.”

According to The Associated Press, Brandon Haas was sentenced to four years and one month in prison after he previously pleaded guilty to one felony count of endangering the welfare of a child and three misdemeanor counts of the same charge.