MISSING/FOUND DEAD: Baby Elaina - Toledo

[Duchess]

Oops. I shouldn't have referred to the Dad too. He just wants his daughter.

[Adub]

Oops. I shouldn't have referred to the Dad too. He just wants his daughter.

Then he should have had his daughter.

[NightOwl]

I read over this article and I'm thinking maybe a search should take place over by this Camp Ground that is mentioned.
_____________________________________________________________

June 14^th 2013
Taken from The Toledo Blade. "Ride Along with Taylor Dungjen".


WHO IS Angela Steinfurth?

Come Sunday, unless something changes in the next day and a half, Elaina Steinfurth will have been missing for two weeks.

The general rule is that, after 48 hours, the odds of finding a missing person decline drastically. But then something big happens -- like Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight being found alive in a west side Cleveland home after a decade in captivity -- and you can't help but think, "Who else is out there?"

And, for a minute, you let your mind wander and wonder.

Since Elaina, only 18 months old, went missing, most conversations either start with someone asking, "What do you think happened to her?" or someone eventually asking, "Where do you think she is?"

They often end, "Is she still alive?"

Everyone wants to know, most people think they know, and maybe one or two people really know.

And, eventually you have to ask -- if you're a member of the media, anyway -- how do you keep the story alive? How do you keep Elaina in the news? How long before the attention starts to fade and the cameras find another story to cling to and reporters are knocking on someone else's door.

That will eventually happen.

But for now, and spinning out of control among all the other questions, I have one that I can try to answer: Who is Angela Jeane Steinfurth?

The obvious: Angela is a 26-year-old lifelong Toledoan. She is the mother of two little girls -- Kylee, 4, and little Elaina. She is married to, but estranged from, Terry Steinfurth, Jr., 25. He goes by "TJ."


Angela is a Lucas County jail inmate, being held in lieu of $250,000 bond, charged with child endangering.

Her family said she is in cell to herself.

She is accused of knowing that Elaina was seriously injured and then never doing anything about it. She reportedly told police she knew the girl needed medical attention. She maintains that she does not know Elaina's whereabouts.

Before June 2, Angela Steinfurth was just a mom, a daughter, a wife (and girlfriend). Since, and especially once charges were filed against her Wednesday, she's been one of the most publicly vilified people in the city.

"I feel like it's an embarrassment that Angela is my sister," said Mary Schiewe, 23.

Angela, born Nov. 28, 1987, grew up without her father, said Mary, Angela's half-sister. She saw a picture of him once, but never knew him.

Less than a year after Angela was born, her mother, Lisa Mories, married Richard Schiewe.

"We never really had our mom in our life," Mary said. "It's always been my dad."

When Anglea was 16, she tried to reconnect with her mother, and maintained contact, although they were never very close, Mary said.

Growing up, Angela was friendly and into sports, but not all that competitive, Mary said.

"She always got along with people" and the family would go camping every weekend, Mary said.

Camping at Sunny's Campground in Wauseon is how Angela and TJ met.

During a search for Elaina on Thursday, TJ said he and Angela dated on-and-off for nine years; they bonded over "similar interests" like motorcycles and car shows.

Before they were engaged, TJ asked Angela's stepfather, Richard Schiewe, for approval and bought him a beer.

Christmas Day, 2010, in front of family, TJ proposed.


The two married in June, 2011, at the Lucas County Common Pleas Courthouse in downtown Toledo.

He a baker, she a homemaker.

They were married six months when Elaina was born Dec. 20. The young marriage was already troubled but "not horrible," TJ said.

The pregnancy was difficult -- on Angela and the marriage.

Angela said her pregnancy with Elaina was difficult. Because her “womb was too small,” Elaina needed six months of physical therapy so that she would be able to walk.

The young couple, for the sake of their two young children, tried to work through their differences, but TJ said differing parenting techniques, the one-income household, and Angela's anxiety and depression caused rifts. In November, the two separated, but continued to live together until late February or early March for financial reasons.

Angela then moved in with her boyfriend, Steven King, II, who she and her estranged husband met long ago at Sunny's Campground.

Mary said they family has known Steven and his family for at least 10 years, but once they started dating, Mary cautioned her sister to keep the girl's out of the King's Federal Street home.

"We told her we didn't want those kids in that house," Mary said.

In the Toledo police report filed the day Elaina was reported missing, officers noted that the house was "unfit for living."

The first floor bathroom floor was covered in sewage, overflowing from a toilet. Dog feces were on the floor, and piles of clothing were scattered around the house.

Mary said Angela would often keep the girls from family for extended periods of time if there was a dispute. They were her bargaining chips, Mary said.

Mary said she won't ever be able to forgive her half-sister.

Mary and Richard claim Angela told them she was threatened by Steven to not tell police what happened to Angela.

Steven, who has an active bench warrant on a driving with a suspended license charge from March, has not been charged with anything as it relates to Elaina.
"I feel like she waited this long to tell us that, now what else is going to come out?" asked Mary, who believes Elaina will be found alive. "I don't know if she knows anything else -- I hope not, but I thought she was being honest with us when she said she didn't know nothing about Elaina being taken out of the house, but she did."

[HairOfTheDog]

Since the campground is familiar to all of the adults in Elaina's life, I hope LE searches it, NightOwl. Good idea.

In the article, it says that Angela moved in with Steven King a few months ago. They didn't live with Julie King, did they?

[HarveySykes]

Isn't it so weird that Angela was crying hysterically that she didn't want the baby to see her Dad because she thought he'd never bring her back... And 15 minutes later the baby somehow "vanishes" and she believes its a kidnapping? I wonder if this was typical behavior- her playing games; not wanting the kids to leave?

[HairOfTheDog]

Isn't it so weird that Angela was crying hysterically that she didn't want the baby to see her Dad because she thought he'd never bring her back... And 15 minutes later the baby somehow "vanishes" and she believes its a kidnapping? I wonder if this was typical behavior- her playing games; not wanting the kids to leave?

Don't know if Angela has a history of histrionic behavior, Harvey.

I hope she arranged for somebody to keep the baby, but police have undoubtedly looked at every adult connected to Elaina and Angela and Steven King and all of the family members - they've had almost 2 weeks to interview.

Also don't know if the GMC Safari that was towed from outside the vacant home that was searched rendered a hit from cadaver dogs. That's not clear in the media reports.

In an interview, Julie King said that she kicked Angela out of her house because Angela was abusive to Elaina and Elaina's 4 year old sister.

When Angela called Julie on June 1^st, she told Julie that they had no place to stay and the baby was wet, etc...so Julie agreed to let them stay overnight. Julie says she saw the baby on Saturday night, but not on the Sunday that Elaina disappeared. Her son Steven King claims to have seen Elaina an hour and a half before Elaina's dad was told that Elaina was missing from Julie's home, according to Julie. Julie said that she;s since found out Angela was lying about having nowhere else to stay. I don't know if she's implying that Angela used her to set up a disappearance or what.

Who's lying and who all knows what? How can Angela be the only one holding information about Elaina's disappearance if there were other adults and a 4 year old in the house that she allegedly vanished from in the middle of the day on a Sunday?

One thing's for sure, imo: Angela knows more than she's saying. I hope she cracks or somebody else does soon.

[HairOfTheDog]

Surveillance video of Angela and Elaina the day before her reported disappearance.




Below are simply the interpretations of the video by others; not facts. Personally, I'm not reading too much into it. Curious if others here see anything in the video that possibly connects to the case.


According to WNWO news the video is from a surveillance camera near Raymer Elementary School in East Toledo at a residence about eleven blocks away from where Elaina Steinfurth was last seen.

The video shows Angela Steinfurth picking up her baby out of a stroller and walking into the home and kissing Elaina on the side of the head before she goes inside. Then you see her standing on the porch, with a cell phone to her ear before sitting down and cradling Elaina. She kisses Elaina again and it appears as though Angela is wiping tears from her eyes, just before she looks at her cell phone. She then gets up and puts Elaina into a stroller and buckles her in, and begins to walk away out of the cameras view. Elaina is not very active and some people believe that is a sign that Elaina was not feeling well.

Location: 700 federal street, toledo ohio

"I watched this a couple times. Elaina didn't move her legs once. Her head was kinda bobbing too," posted Amanda Sailsbury.

"Baby appears to be lethargic. Little movement for a 18-month-old. Appears to have a left black eye," posted Gloria Babcock.

[NightOwl]

Update Toledo Blade 17^th June 2013

Divers with FBI comb Maumee River for missing toddler (photograph at link below).

Hope this is not a wild goose chase!


Divers with the FBI today are searching the Maumee River for 18-month-old Elaina Steinfurth, who has been missing for more than two weeks.

Shortly before noon, FBI divers arrived at the river near the Anthony Wayne Bridge in East Toledo, a place where divers have searched before.

In addition to the FBI, a U.S. Coast Guard boat was on scene, along with some Toledo police and Toledo fire personnel.

Over the weekend, 80 volunteers on Saturday scoured the area along the Maumee River from Perrysburg east to Maumee Bay State Park.

Justice for Nevaeh, a Michigan nonprofit organization formed after the kidnapping and killing of 5-year-old Nevaeh Buchanan in 2009, conducted searches Thursday in Rossford, Woodville, and Curtice, Ohio, in attempts to find young Elaina, who disappeared from her East Toledo home June 2.


Read more at http://www.toledoblade.com/Police-Fire/2...9rlpFKb.99

[username]

I don't think the child appears injured. She's got her arm on her mom not dangling at her side or anything. It's too small for me to see a black eye either.

What I get from that video is that poor little girl loved her mother despite the mother being a seeming monster. Pisses me off.

[sally]

I don't know what to think of the video, the baby doesn't really look injured to me and the mother appears to love her.

[username]

I don't know what to think of the video, the baby doesn't really look injured to me and the mother appears to love her.

I think most child abusers probably love their kids in between the times they're pissed off and beating them. :(

[Carsman]

I don't know what to think of the video, the baby doesn't really look injured to me and the mother appears to love her.

I think most child abusers probably love their kids in between the times they're pissed off and beating them. :(

Many people (even some of them parents) have a very "short fuse"!

[HairOfTheDog]

I can't see much of value related to the case from that little snapshot in time on the video either.

It's probably pretty easy for the commentors to those articles to look back on that video, knowing that Elaina's been missing so long and her mother's in jail for endangerment, and see things in it due to preconceived notions.

[HairOfTheDog]

Update on search:

From the Toledo Blade this morning:
Federal agents with special diving training are in Toledo this week assisting local officials as they continue to search for a missing toddler.

The dive team, from FBI field offices in Washington and Los Angeles, spent about seven hours in the Maumee River on Monday and were expected to return today. They are scheduled to stay in Toledo for several days, officials said.

Special Agent Vicki Anderson would not comment on specifics about the case or the dive team's involvement, but said there was “information that has indicated our need to go to the river to rule out anything.” (HOTD: Wondered if they were searching it again based on a tip; looks like that's the case. Plus, Angela told police early on that she'd found a fresh diaper near that river when she was conducting her own search - gotta search it all.)

Mrs. Steinfurth was being held in a single-person cell at the jail, but over the weekend was moved into the general population.

One source said after the mother’s move that at least three inmates were taken to the downtown Safety Building to be interviewed about the case by detectives. (HOTD: good that Angela's in gen pop now; she seems the type that wants/needs sympathy imo - maybe she'll spill to a fellow inmate?)

A $10,000 reward, offered by Toledo police and the FBI, is being offered to anyone who provides credible information leading to Elaina’s whereabouts.

Toledo police Capt. Brad Weis said investigators continue to follow up on “all credible leads.”

Full story:
http://www.toledoblade.com/Police-Fire/2...ddler.html

[HairOfTheDog]

From the Nancy Grace show June/17/2013

Timeline/events of June 2^nd, from Police Report

Around 1 p.m.
Angela claims she put Elaina down for a nap and she and her ex-boyfriend then went to the Family Dollar. When they returned, the door to the bedroom where Elaina had been sleeping was still closed so she did not go in to check on her.

Around 2 p.m.
Terry Steinfurth Jr. (TJ) arrived. After arguing with Angela because she didn't want to let him take Elaina (saying she feared he'd not give her back). TJ left to get his father to mediate.

Around 2:30 p.m.
TJ and his father returned and Steven King tried to start a fight with with both Steinfurth men, Angela agreed to get Elaina. King is believed to have left through the back door during this time without anyone knowing. Angela allegedly said he left to go look for Elaina.

Around 25 minutes later (2:55 p.m.)
Angela said Elaina was gone.

Around 3 p.m.
Police arrived and began interviewing witnesses and searching the neighborhood.

Around 4:30 p.m.
Steven King returned back to the home.

The police report described the King house as “unfit for living,” noting sewage overflowing from a toilet and dog feces on the floor.

Ref:
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/06/18/...pt=hln10_1

[HairOfTheDog]

Nancy Grace interviewed Angela's father on June 17^th as well.

Angela’s stepfather, Richard Schiewe, suggested Monday that there is more to the story.

“My daughter screwed up big time, okay?” Schiewe told Nancy Grace. “I’m not making excuses. I can’t forgive and I can’t forget it. The story is she knows what happened to the baby. She got afraid because people threatened, if you say anything, you’re next.”

Schiewe claimed Angela told him she does not know where Elaina is, but she knows what happened to her and who took her from the house.

According to Schiewe, Angela told him she had made a big mistake, but he would not say what the mistake was, stating that the FBI told him not to talk about it. However, he did say his “gut feeling” is that Elaina is dead.

“It’s been too long for her to be gone,” Schiewe said.

[NightOwl]

I can't see much of value related to the case from that little snapshot in time on the video either.

It's probably pretty easy for the commentors to those articles to look back on that video, knowing that Elaina's been missing so long and her mother's in jail for endangerment, and see things in it due to preconceived notions.

I didn't see anything out of the ordinary in this short video either. I have been wondering whose home is this with the camera? why was Angela there?

Here is an update about the video story. Excellent job by WNWO!!
We should see Frank on HLN's Nancy Grace to-night.

_____________________________________________________________
NorthwestOhio.com
Baby Elaina's injuries revealed and national TV interviews uncover new information
by Angi Gonzalez June 18^th 2013

TOLEDO -- As the 16^th day of searching for 18-month-old Elaina Steinfurth came to a close on Monday, WNWO was able to obtain exclusive information on the toddler's injuries prior to her disappearance.

The source, who only wanted to be identified as Frank, is the same man who provided WNWO with exclusive surveillance video showing Elaina and her mother the day before the child was last seen, June 2.

Frank, who has remained anonymous until now, said he was looking to release the information so that the public could hear what Elaina's mother says happened.

"[Elaina's mother] told me about the baby having a black eye, a bump on the head and just a little bit of dry blood around the nostril. But I was like well what's that all about...and she said that when she woke up the baby was like that...I said well why didn't you call ...take her to the hospital or call the police or whatever...She told me that she asked Steven, the boyfriend, to check on the baby to make sure the baby was ok medically. The boyfriend overlooked the child and said she was going to be fine," Frank said of his conversation with Angela Steinfurth, Elaina's mother.

It was after Frank gave that information to investigators that Angela Steinfurth was arrested for child endangerment, for which she remained jailed on Monday night.

Last week, during a press conference on Angela Steinfurth's arrest, Toledo Police would not specify the injuries Elaina sustained but did confirm she suffered "a serious injury" and said her mother did not seek medical treatment.

In his latest interview with WNWO, Frank also wanted to clarify why he had surveillance of Angela Steinfurth and baby Elaina from his home. He said the camera had been set up months ago following a spike in crime within his East Toledo neighborhood and had nothing to do with the current case.

Frank, who calls himself a friend of both Angela Steinfurth and her estranged husband, will also share these details with HLN's Nancy Grace on her show Tuesday evening.

On Monday, the video Frank provided on WNWO last Thursday, was featured on HLN shows for Nancy Grace and Jane Velez-Mitchell. Both hosts, for CNN's sister station, were also able to reveal new information on the case on Monday evening.

On Jane Velez-Mitchell's show, a senior producer released the findings from a "background check" on Angela Steinfurth's ex-boyfriend, Steven King, that showed he has a number of unpaid debts. WATCH VIDEO

In a previous interview with WNWO, King's mother insisted that her son had nothing to do with the case. The mother admits that Steven went into hiding after receiving death threats. She adds that, despite being out of the public eye, her son has been fully cooperating with authorities and has not been charged with anything.

Interviews with Elaina's father and paternal grandfather, on Nancy Grace's Monday night show, revealed that King nearly got into a physical altercation with the pair on the day the toddler went missing. WATCH VIDEO

Grace also spoke with Angela Steinfurth's step-father, Richard Schiewe, who indicated that his step-daughter may be withholding information from authorities because she was "threatened." He told Grace that, on Thursday, from behind bars, Angela Steinfurth told him that she did know who took the baby from the home but did not know where the baby was taken.

[HairOfTheDog]

The source, who only wanted to be identified as Frank, is the same man who provided WNWO with exclusive surveillance video showing Elaina and her mother the day before the child was last seen, June 2.

Frank, who has remained anonymous until now, said he was looking to release the information so that the public could hear what Elaina's mother says happened.

"[Elaina's mother] told me about the baby having a black eye, a bump on the head and just a little bit of dry blood around the nostril. But I was like well what's that all about...and she said that when she woke up the baby was like that...I said well why didn't you call ...take her to the hospital or call the police or whatever...She told me that she asked Steven, the boyfriend, to check on the baby to make sure the baby was ok medically. The boyfriend overlooked the child and said she was going to be fine," Frank said of his conversation with Angela Steinfurth, Elaina's mother.

It was after Frank gave that information to investigators that Angela Steinfurth was arrested for child endangerment, for which she remained jailed on Monday night.

Thanks for this info, NightOwl.

I just watched the video of Frank on Nancy Grace last night; describing what Angela told him and how he and his girlfriend were interviewed by the FBI.

The interview video is here:
http://www.hlntv.com/video/2013/06/18/fr...loody-nose

[NightOwl]

The source, who only wanted to be identified as Frank, is the same man who provided WNWO with exclusive surveillance video showing Elaina and her mother the day before the child was last seen, June 2.

Frank, who has remained anonymous until now, said he was looking to release the information so that the public could hear what Elaina's mother says happened.

"[Elaina's mother] told me about the baby having a black eye, a bump on the head and just a little bit of dry blood around the nostril. But I was like well what's that all about...and she said that when she woke up the baby was like that...I said well why didn't you call ...take her to the hospital or call the police or whatever...She told me that she asked Steven, the boyfriend, to check on the baby to make sure the baby was ok medically. The boyfriend overlooked the child and said she was going to be fine," Frank said of his conversation with Angela Steinfurth, Elaina's mother.

It was after Frank gave that information to investigators that Angela Steinfurth was arrested for child endangerment, for which she remained jailed on Monday night.

Thanks for this info, NightOwl.

I just watched the video of Frank on Nancy Grace last night; describing what Angela told him and how he and his girlfriend were interviewed by the FBI.

The interview video is here:
http://www.hlntv.com/video/2013/06/18/fr...loody-nose

I did find out apparently Angela and her husband Terry lived in the house next door at one time, so that explains somewhat as to why was she at Frank's house that's all I know there, possibly she's friends with his girlfriend.

Thanks!

[NightOwl]

We have seen Angela interviewed on TV, we've seen her stepfather that raised her and heard comments from her sister Mary, we've seen TJ Steinfurth Angela's husband, Angela's father-in-law Terry Sr. we've heard from Julie King this is the main house of interest Mr & Mrs King's home that has been searched several times, Julie King has mentioned her husband yet we don't hear from him, or her son or her son's friend or cousin Mike she called him. Everyone in that home IMO should be a person of interest, where was Mr King Sr during all this? isn't it odd he's supposed to be the head of the bloody household and we never hear from him?

I'd like to know if they still have a RV out at this campground in Fulton Co? or maybe they took a tent, this campground is in the heart of farm land it's approximately 1 hour drive from Federal St. Angela and TJ Steinfurth met at the campground and Steven King was camping at the same campground for years.

I think Angela & Steven King are in cahoots! IMO