Ethan Neiderbach/ Jonas Neiderbach and Jherica Richardson are facing multiple counts of child endangerment/ Plead Not Guilty

I keep thinking of Baby Ethan and feel the need to reach out to VH for more loving thoughts of him as he struggles to survive.



Baby Ethan Neiderbach's parents are accused of injuring him severely. Baby Ethan is now under state protection and on Monday, custody of was transferred to his maternal aunt.

Doctors say Ethan's brain activity is very minimal.

His parents, Jonas Neiderbach and Jherica Richardson are facing multiple counts of child endangerment. Ethan was admitted into the hospital in July this year, with head trauma and broken ribs.

Neiderbach and Richardson scheduled to be arraigned August 31st.


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This is close to home huh Marica? Thanks for posting this.

Very close to home. I pray we will not have to move this thread, but it isn't looking good for teh little guy.

Admitted to the hospital in JULY with head trauma and BROKEN ribs...yet this poor angel was sent home and now this????? Are social services that over worked or too tired from case overload to recognize the signs? My prayers go out to Ethan.. I hope his parents spend the rest of their lives in jail.

This little guy had a broken arm, and was sent home. Guess he must have tried to climb out of his crib and fell. He and his parents lived with Grandpa, who works in accounting for the department, but he had to know what was going on and who he should contact

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Des Moines police arrested the parents of a baby with critical injuries on Tuesday.

Jonas Neiderbach and Jherica Richardson turned themselves in to police on the advice of their attorney. Police said Neiderbach and Richardson are charged with multiple counts of child endangerment. Both are in jail on $50,000 cash-only bond. Both are scheduled to be in court on a preliminary hearing July 24.
Their 6-week-old infant, Ethan Neiderbach, is being treated at Blank Children's Hospital. Police said he has serious head injuries and fractured ribs and is listed in critical condition on Tuesday.

A police report shows the child arrived lifeless at the hospital after being taken to Mercy Medical Center a month earlier for a broken arm.

"On July 8, the baby did come back to the hospital with injuries doctors believe were not accidental. At this point, we've launched our investigation, but the baby is in very critical condition," said Sgt. Lori Lavorato, Des Moines police spokeswoman.

Police said Ethan Neiderbach lived at 642 Polk Blvd. When he was 3-weeks-old he was taken to Mercy Medical Center on June 19 with what they believed to be a broken arm. Lavarato said at that point doctors weren't sure if the injuries were intentional or not. Police and the Department of Human Services launched an investigation, but the child was not removed from the home.

"Approximately two weeks later when the baby was 45 days old, it returned with another injury," said Lavorato.

The baby's grandfather is former Des Moines School Board member Jon Neiderbach, who works for the Department of Human Services. KCCI tried to contact him Tuesday, but he could not be reached for comment.http://www.kcci.com/news/20050191/detail.html

Custody Of Injured Infant Changed





August 18, 2009


Ethan Neiderbach


A baby whose parents are accused of severely hurting him is now under state protection. Monday, custody of Ethan Neiderbach was transferred to his maternal aunt.

According to our friends at the Des Moines Register, doctors say Ethan's brain activity is very minimal.

His parents, Jonas Neiderbach and Jherica Richardson face multiple counts of child endangerment. Ethan was admitted into the hospital last month with head trauma and broken ribs.

Both Neiderbach and Richardson were scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday but that date has been postponed until August 31st.
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Lindamarie,

What a precious little man. So many LOVING families would have loved to have him, nurture him, keep him safe. While reading your article, I was thinking if he were to pull through, he would have brain damage.

I am sick to death of hospitals giving injured babies back to parents to continue to abuse them. How would a tiny baby have two injuries in 45 days. LE should have been brought into this case, I am just sick about this!

I will never understand for the life of me how LE comes up with charges.

This couple is being charged with CHILD ENDANGERMENT! It would seem to me they should be charged with ATTEMPTED Murder. I just don't get it.

It is so sad that a child's life is not worth very much in the eyes of the Legal System, jmo.

I agree that the charges should be attempted murder. I just don't get it and never will. He was a little helpless baby.