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.

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