How Could You? Hall of Shame-Collin Holdgrafer-Child Death

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 Maquoketa, Iowa, Danielle Holdgrafer, adoptive parent and biological aunt of 4-year-old Collin, “placed the direct blame on her late husband for the drowning of their 4-year-old adopted son, shortly after she pleaded guilty Friday for her role.

“He drowned after my husband punched him,” Holdgrafer, 30, of Andrew, Iowa, said during a brief interview Friday before being returned to jail. “This was something he did, not something I did, not at all.”

Holdgrafer pleaded guilty Friday morning to one charge of child endangerment resulting in death for her part in Collin’s death on June 12, 2010. Jackson County District Judge Marlita Greve then sentenced her to 50 years in prison. Two other charges of child endangerment resulting in bodily injury involving Collin and another adopted son, Darrian, were dismissed in a plea agreement.”

Woman Blames Husband After Guilty Plea in Son’s Death
[Quad City Times 4/16/11 by Sheri Melvold]

Timeline
“June 12, 2010: The boy’s father, Andrew Holdgrafer, then 31, makes a 911 call to responders that Collin was not responsive. The boy was pronounced dead at the Jackson County Regional Health Center.

Late June 2010: Danielle Holdgrafer is charged with first-degree murder and Andrew Holdgrafer is charged with child endangerment resulting in death.

July 2010: Both plead ‘not guilty’ to their major charges.

September 2010: While out on bail, Andrew Holdgrafer, 32, is found dead of a heart attack.

October 2010: Prosecutors decide to file a motion to dismiss the murder charge against Danielle Holdgrafer. She now faces one charge of child endangerment resulting in death plus two lesser child endangerment charges.

April 15, 2011: Just before the trial is set to start, Danielle Holdgrafer agrees to a plea agreement that results in a 50-year sentence.”

“This Would Be The Best Way To Go” – Sister Reacts To Holdgrafter Plea Agreement
[Source Media Group News 4/15/11 by Chris Earl]

Prior Abuse

The boy’s grandfather and his wife “called DHS twice after being cut off from seeing Collin and his half-brother, both adopted by the couple, who had three biological children of their own.

”I never got to see them. In the store, they’d never have those kids with them, not those two, never. This just hurts something terrible, it just ain’t right”, Holdgrafer said after exiting the apartment where Collin died. ”They were locked in their bedroom. The lock was on the outside, they’d lock them in there. Nobody else”.

Haylock says she was active in her grandson’s life until about a year ago, when she too was abruptly shut out of the boy’s life. She says she made repeated phone calls to try and schedule a visit, and was finally told by Danielle on her answering machine that it would be best if they sever ties. She says she didn’t know what was going on, but has now found out several calls of concern had been placed to DHS.

”Numerous times. By grandparents, a teacher, a neighbor. He’s been tortured for at least a year. Locked in his bedroom”, Haylock said, her lip trembling. ”They let me in his life. They were wonderful people at the time. Then in 2009, they were acting different, she was losing weight”.

Neighbor Heather Sagers says she allowed her child to play with the Holdgrafer kids all the time, and never noticed anything out of the ordinary. Except that she rarely saw Collin and his half-brother.

”Their own kids were always out back playing and nobody ever really saw the other two. It’s sad, I guess you never really know what happens behind closed doors”, Sagers said.”
Grandmother says little boy who was drowned endured prior abuse
[WQAD 6/10/10 by Chris Miinor]

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