How Could You? Hall of Shame-Angela and Darrick Mittlestadt

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Laramie, Wyoming, adoptive parents, Angela and Darrick Mittlestadt, “are charged with aggravated child abuse and conspiracy to commit the same” because they “kept their adopted son isolated and starved, according to records from the First Judicial District of Laramie County.

Each charge carries a penalty of up to 25 years in prison. They were booked on the warrant last June and quickly posted $15,000 cash bonds. They are set for trial together on April 27, according to records from the First Judicial District. They are presumed innocent unless proven or pleading guilty.

The investigation was picked up by Laramie County Sheriff’s Office Detective Ryan Martinez after a 13-year-old boy was dropped off at the Youth Development Center in Douglas on June 22.

The child appeared severely malnourished. He was missing a lot of hair and his ribs and collarbones were visibly protruding from beneath the skin, the affidavit said. The Douglas Police Department and Converse County Department of Family Services took the child into protective custody.

Two days later, he was taken to Children’s Hospital in Colorado for treatment, where he was found to weigh 55 pounds and have no detectable levels of Vitamin D.

The day before, the child was forensically interviewed at the Child Advocacy Project in Casper, where he said that his mom, Angela, had dropped him off at the YDC in Douglas and told him to knock on the door until someone answered.

He said that he spent virtually all his time blockaded in his bedroom and that Angela gave him one meal a day due to his behavior problems, which included bathroom accidents.

“[He] guessed it had been about [two] years since he was allowed to leave his room and play with his brother, sit on the couch and watch TV, and go to the fire station,” the report said. He also reported that his parents had never taken him to the doctor.

Detective Martinez learned that the Mittlestadts had adopted the child and his younger brother while living in Denver in 2019 and had moved to Cheyenne in September 2023.

Several neighbors told the detective they assumed the Mittlestadts had only one child and had seen “a second child” only once before, if at all.

The doctors in Denver said the child had begun eating appropriately and was gaining weight. They noted “no behavioral concerns” or other conditions that would contribute to malnourishment. They said the condition had been going on for some time.

“Children’s Hospital Pediatricians believe that [the child] has potentially sustained arrested bone growth and joint development due to malnutrition. Pediatricians believe [he] has severe Osteopenia as a result of malnourishment as well as other medical complications,” the affidavit said.

Angela told the detective that the child refused to sleep or use the toilet and that accidents were common in the bedroom. There had been such an incident on the morning of June 22, when she finally “broke” and dropped him off in Douglas.

“Speaking with Angela, Angela talked about how bad [the child] was, refused to do school, lacked any feelings, remorse, empathy, and didn’t care about rewards or consequences,” Detective Martinez wrote.

Darrick, who was a county fire chief, said the child lied about things and that they didn’t take him to a doctor because he was afraid they would be “put under a microscope,” according to statements in the affidavit.

People including Darrick’s colleagues and parents said that, on the few occasions they encountered or watched the child, he was polite. The child’s grandfather said he would “clean a plate” when he was with them.

Darrick Mittlestadt is not listed on the staff or leadership page of the Laramie County Fire District #1 website.”

Trial date for couple accused of starving child pushed into summer as defense reviews discovery data
[Cap City News 3/19/26 by Greg Hirst]

The trial date is not April 27, 2026 but  July 20, 2026.

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update:“With the victim of the abuse and his new family in attendance, Darrick Mittlestadt was found guilty by a jury Friday morning of two charges related to the starvation of his then-13-year-old adopted son.

Darrick and his wife, Angela Mittlestadt, were arrested last year for starving the teen, referred to as EM, and both faced one charge of aggravated child abuse and conspiracy to commit child abuse.

With the guilty verdict, Darrick now faces up to 50 years in prison, as each charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years and/or a $10,000 fine. Angela entered a guilty plea to one charge Monday with the expectation that she will be sentenced to 15 to 17 years behind bars.

Darrick Mittlestadt’s trial, which started Sept. 22, featured testimony from EM himself, as well as Dr. Andrew Sriotnak of Children’s Hospital Colorado, who detailed the horrific condition EM was in when he arrived at the medical center.

Sriotnak said EM’s level of malnutrition was life threatening, and he compared it to that of a person being released from a concentration camp.

On June 22, 2025, Angela Mittlestadt dropped EM off at the Youth Development Center in Douglas, and told him that the center was now his home and not to ring the doorbell until she had driven away.

Terri Middleton, who was working at the youth center that day, said she immediately called Douglas police when she noticed EM’s gaunt condition.

This led to an investigation by Sgt. Ryan Martinez of the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, which determined that EM was only being fed one meal a day and that he was confined to his room.

In a conversation with Martinez the day after EM was dropped off in Douglas, Darrick Mittlestadt stated that he “didn’t want to take him (EM) outside” due to his appearance and that Darrick “didn’t think he looked good.”

Throughout the trial, the former Laramie County Fire District 1 chief and his attorney, Crystal Stewart, maintained that he was unaware of EM’s condition in the months leading up to him being dropped in Douglas, and said that Angela was the sole perpetrator of the abuse.

Darrick also repeatedly said that he and Angela’s marital issues caused him to be unaware of what was happening in his own home.

Darrick took the stand in his own defense, and admitted he had failed EM as a father, but said that he was never aware of Angela not providing him food.

Jack Hatfield, a Laramie County assistant district attorney, argued in his closing remarks that Darrick’s testimony was a total fabrication.

After the guilty verdict was announced, the matter of Darrick’s bond was addressed.

Hatfield commented that he was surprised Darrick wasn’t “halfway to Argentina,” given the severity of the charges he was facing, and that he was a significant flight risk.

Laramie County District Judge Peter Froelicher agreed and set Darrick’s bond at $500,000 cash. He included the condition that he must turn over his passport to the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office.

Froelicher also requested a pre-sentence investigation and set a sentencing date of Dec. 28. Angela’s sentencing date is Dec. 14.

Their other adopted son, EM’s younger brother, NM, also is in foster care with EM.”

Guilty: Laramie County jury finds Mittlestadt responsible for teen’s starvation

[Yahoo 9/30/26 by Owen Houtakker, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Cheyenne]