UPDATE! Nathan Sloop Changes His Plea To Guilty In The Death Of Ethan Stacy~ Sentenced To 25 Years~ Trial Still Pending For Ethan's Mother, Stephanie Sloop

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This undated image provided by the Layton (Utah) Police department shows Ethan Stacy. The body of a boy who matches the description of the missing 4-y

LAYTON, Utah – The body of a missing 4-year-old boy was found in a Utah canyon and his mother and stepfather were taken into custody, police said.

Ethan Stacy's stepfather, Nathan Sloop was being charged with aggravated homicide, Layton police said Tuesday. In addition, Sloop and the boy's mother, Stephanie Sloop, will be charged with felony child abuse, obstruction of justice and desecration of a corpse, police said.

Stephanie Sloop, 27, reported Ethan missing around 9 p.m. Monday, saying he had left his bed and wandered from their apartment complex. Officials said she told them the boy had walked away five of the last 10 nights.

"That appears to have been a ruse by the mother, something to cover the tracks," said Layton police Lt. Garret Atkin.

Police searched overnight and said that by midday Tuesday, the couple had revealed the location of Ethan's body. The search then shifted 20 miles away to a spot off a wooded trail in Wolf Canyon, which borders the Powder Mountain ski resort, about 40 miles northeast of Salt Lake City.

It wasn't clear as searchers were digging up remains when Ethan was killed or how, police said Tuesday. Five officers were seen carrying a blue bag out of the woods late Tuesday afternoon.

Atkin refused to describe the condition of the boy's body.

The couple was married only 10 days ago, when Ethan arrived in Utah to spend the summer with his mother, police said. His biological father is in Virginia. His name was not released by police.

Investigators spent the early morning hours Tuesday combing through the Sloops' cupboards and closets, and through Dumpsters and the area near the apartment complex looking for the boy. Sex offenders in the area were interviewed and had their homes searched, Atkin said.

The Sloops' story of a barefoot boy wandering outside in his pajamas changed throughout the day, Atkin said.

Nathan Sloop, 31, was booked into the Davis County jail Tuesday night. There was no record of Stephanie Sloop being booked, and it was unclear if she would be. Authorities released no further details.

Utah State Courts records show Nathan Sloop ran afoul of the law more than once from 2000 to 2003, with convictions on charges including criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and drug possession.

In 2003, he served 30 days in jail for one drug possession charge and received a six-month suspended sentence for another.

No criminal history was found for Stephanie Sloop, and records show no criminal activity for Nathan Sloop after 2003.

An after-hours message left for the Davis County attorney's office was not immediately returned Tuesday.

It wasn't clear when charges would be filed or when the Sloops would make a court appearance. An after-hours message left for the Davis County attorney's office was not immediately returned Tuesday.

Nobody answered a phone at the Sloops' apartment late Tuesday, and a message wasn't returned. Neighbors told reporters the couple were newcomers to the complex.

Attorney Richard Gallegos, who has represented Nathan Sloop in previous criminal cases, did not return messages Tuesday night at his home and office.

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By Loretta Park (Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau)

Last Edit: May 12 2010 - 12:00am

LAYTON -- The daylong search for 4-year-old Ethan Stacy came to a sad end Tuesday afternoon, leaving even police officers shocked and upset.

"When you have a crime like this involving a child, it makes you wonder how that can happen," said Layton Police Lt. Garret Atkin. "Something like this shouldn't happen in your community."

Atkin made the comments following a news conference announcing the arrest of Nathan Sloop, 31.
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Sloop was booked into Davis County Jail on aggravated murder charges in the death of Ethan, his stepson. He also was booked on felony child abuse, obstruction of justice and desecration of a corpse.

The boy's mother, Stephanie Sloop, 27, was booked on one count of felony child abuse, obstruction of justice and desecration of a corpse, Atkin said.

A massive search for the boy began early Tuesday morning after his mother called police at 11:55 p.m. Monday. She reported her son had left the apartment sometime after she tucked him in bed at 9 p.m. Monday.

Police recovered Ethan's body at a burial site in Wolf Creek Canyon at 5 p.m. Nathan Sloop was informed of the charges against him about 5:30 p.m.

Rumors spread earlier in the day that investigators were searching for the body in Weber County.

Atkin said he didn't know how long the boy had been buried in the wooded area. His office is waiting for the state medical examiner's report on what caused Ethan's death.

Asked the condition of the body, Atkin said, "I'd rather not go into the details."

Ethan's biological father, who lives in Virginia, has been notified of the boy's death, Atkin said.

Ethan came to Utah on May 1 to spend the summer with his mother, Atkin said.

Atkin said the mother reported her son missing as "a ruse." He also said the mother's reports that her son had tried to run away several times before were also "lies."

The Sloops became "persons of interest in the case" after their stories kept changing, Atkin said.

"It was obvious they were trying to cover up their tracks," Atkin said.

According to the state court's website, a Nathan Warren Sloop with the same date of birth as the one listed in the Layton police news release was convicted of third-degree felony possession of a controlled substance in 2003 in 2nd District Court in Ogden.

He was placed on probation until May 2005, when the court reduced the third-degree felony to a class A misdemeanor and terminated his probation.

Atkin said the Sloops were married this month.

Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said Tuesday evening he had not reviewed the evidence or the facts of the case so he could not comment on the exact charges his office will file against the two.

Charges could be filed as early as today, and the Sloops could be in court this afternoon for their first hearings.

More than 40 officers from multiple agencies were involved in searching for the boy until 11 a.m. Tuesday, when police received information of "a possible burial site," Atkin said.

The Sloops at that time were at the Layton police station for questioning.

Atkin said there were no other children in the apartment, where the family had just recently moved.

Atkin said police always interview parents thoroughly when a child is missing "because they are the last ones to see the child."

Atkin said the terrain in the canyon and the weather made it difficult for investigators to process the burial site.

Atkin said he did not know where the boy died.

The Weber County Sheriff's Office assisted the Layton Police Department in locating the boy's body.

Weber County Sheriff's Lt. Philip Howell said five investigators and four crime scene specialists from his agency had been at the scene since about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"We're searching for evidence at this time," Howell said. "Our people will be here for as long as it takes."

Video here:
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OMG, when does this ever end??

These little kids subjected to Parents like this make me sick.

May 12, 2010 6:15 PM
Ethan Stacy's Mother: "You Can Always Have More Children," She Says of Previous Loss
Posted by Caroline Black

NEW YORK (CBS/AP) The body of missing 4-year-old Ethan Stacy was discovered Tuesday in northern Utah. Police have arrested his mother and his stepfather in connection with his apparent murder, and CRIMESIDER has discovered some unsettling information on what appears to be the couple's wedding site.

Crimesider discovered the site on Knot.com, where the boy's mother Stephanie Sloop apparently wrote, in regard to the past loss of unborn twins, "Even though I lost the babies we planned to have, it saved my life. You can always have more children, but Nathan couldn't replace me."

On the site, the couple talks about the first time that they saw each other, their reunion in 2009, and their upcoming wedding.

According to the site, Nathan, Ethan's stepfather, and Stephanie,had known each other in high school, but the couple did not reconnect until years later

"Just a few years ago as I was going through the deepest, darkest part of my life," wrote Nathan on the site, saying, "dealing with my child being kidnapped and being in the middle of a vicious divorce, I began receiving these encouraging emails that had impeccable timing. That was my Steph sending me an encouraging word just when I was at my lowest."

Nowhere on the rest of the site does Nathan mention his other child or if the child was ever found.
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Nathan and Stephanie Sloop (AP Photo/Davis County Sheriff's Office)

The site says that Nathan knew Stephanie was the one for him because "she cooks like a master chef, loves the same kind of movies I do, and instead of provoking my Bad Boy side, she respects it."

On the site, Stephanie says that she appreciates her "Bad Boy" and believes Nathan changed her in ways she didn't think possible.

"Nathan made me realize that for years I was writing checks my ego couldn't cash. We all have egos, some under control, some aren't. Though mine wasn't completely out of whack, it did need adjustments," reads the site.

Throughout the "Groom" section, she mentions her happiness, the things they have in common, her miscarriage and the fact that Nathan saved her life twice "without it having been in danger for provoking his bad side."

She exclaims that she couldn't be happier that "someone else's garbage is now my treasure."

Police say that Stephanie reported Ethan missing on Monday, claiming that the boy had wandered out of their apartment and disappeared. The Layton Police say they interrogated neighbors and identified sex offenders in the area, but turned up no sign of the little boy.

However, when interviewed, the Sloops' story reportedly changed, and the search for Ethan continued at a canyon 25 miles from the couple's apartment. Police discovered the boy's body Tuesday, but have not disclosed how he died.

Ethan's mother is facing potential charges including felony child abuse, obstruction of justice, and desecration of a corpse. The 4-year-old's stepfather is held on suspicion of aggravated homicide, felony child abuse, and obstruction of justice.

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May 12, 10:39 PM EDT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Utah man held in the slaying of his 4-year-old stepson beat him for days before the boy died, then used a hammer to disfigure his face and teeth before burying his body in the mountains, according to police records released late Wednesday.

The body of Ethan Stacy, wrapped in plastic, was unearthed by police Tuesday.

Interview summaries filed by Layton police detectives documented increasingly harsh treatment of the boy during his short time in Utah. A Virginia judge had sent the boy to Layton for a summer visit with his mother just 10 days before his death, police said.

Investigators said they obtained photographs and video images of Ethan's worsening condition from his mother's cell phone, starting more than a week ago.

The injuries resulted from the stepfather, Nathanael Sloop, "engaging in a systematic and progressively more violent pattern of abuse toward Ethan," detectives wrote in interview summaries. The documents say Sloop was angry with the child and "tried everything" to discipline him; however, they don't say why the boy was being disciplined.

Sloop, 31, acknowledged hitting the boy, which caused his face to swell, and leaving him in a locked bedroom May 6 while the couple went to get married in Farmington, about 10 miles away, according to the probable cause statements used to support arrest warrants and detention in jail.

Sloop and the boy's mother, Stephanie Sloop, 27, feared his injuries would alert authorities if they took him along to the courthouse wedding, the documents state.

"This pattern of behavior and abuse was done in a manner that was recklessly indifferent to the child's welfare," police wrote.

Stephanie Sloop told police she did not seek medical help for Ethan because she was afraid Nathanael Sloop "would harm her," Detective Brooke Plotnick wrote.

The couple told police they found Ethan dead in his bed Sunday morning, and that Nathanael Sloop buried him later that day.

Stephanie Sloop told investigators she bought two cans of lighter fluid for Nathanael Sloop to burn the body before it was buried. The reports didn't say whether that was actually done.

The stepfather disfigured the boy's face and teeth "in an effort to defeat or delay identification," detectives concluded in their reports.

Prosecutors said they expect to file charges against the couple Friday. Nathanael Sloop was arrested on suspicion of aggravated murder. He and the mother face additional charges of desecration of a corpse, along with felony child abuse and obstruction of justice, police said.

Chief Deputy Davis County Attorney David Cole said prosecutors are awaiting the results of an autopsy conducted Wednesday.

The Sloops are being held at the Davis County jail.

Attorney Richard Gallegos, who has represented Nathanael Sloop in previous criminal cases, did not return a message Wednesday. It was unknown if Stephanie Sloop had an attorney.

Nobody answered a phone at the Sloops' apartment Wednesday, and a message wasn't returned.

Stephanie Sloop initially told officers that Ethan wandered away from their apartment complex late Monday, but that was just a ruse aimed at covering the couple's tracks, Lt. Garret Atkin said.

Police searched overnight and said that by midday Tuesday, the Sloops had revealed the location of Ethan's body. The search then moved 20 miles away to a spot off a wooded trail in Wolf Canyon, which borders the Powder Mountain ski resort, about 40 miles northeast of Salt Lake City.

Ethan's biological father told The Associated Press police gave him details on the slaying Wednesday.

"I can't talk right now. I just got the horrible news, talking to prosecutors," said Joe G. Stacy of Tazewell, Va.

A relative says Ethan didn't want to spend the summer with his mother.

"Ethan did not want to even talk to (his mother) on the phone. She'd call and he'd say, 'I don't want to talk to her,'" Freida Stacy, Joe G. Stacy's stepmother, told the Deseret News of Salt Lake City.

Stephanie Sloop told police Ethan was vomiting, lethargic and refusing to eat for three days before his death. She also said that on Friday, she found Ethan badly burned from his feet to his buttocks from hot bath water, and that she suspected Nathanael Sloop was responsible.

At another point, the couple forced the child to drink two 16-ounce bottles of water, a 16-ounce bottle of Kool-Aid and a glass of orange juice over two hours, police said. They also gave him Motrin and Benadryl to ease his facial swelling and pain.

Utah State Courts records show that between 2000 and 2003, Nathanael Sloop had several convictions, including for criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and drug possession. In 2003, he served 30 days in jail for one drug possession charge and received a six-month suspended sentence for another.

No criminal history was found for Stephanie Sloop.


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This is sickening & heartbreaking!! Where are the child welfare people when this abuse is going on? Surely a neighbour must have heard the abuse - why weren't the authorities alerted? Poor little guy... it makes me wince just reading what he went through.

This is one of those cases that makes me want to take a break, run to my grandchildren and hold them close.

I am beyond livid that this mother would allow her boyfriend/husband to brutally abuse her son and then lock him in the bathroom while they go get married?

And the b.s. that both wrote upthread is ridiculous! I cannot begin to imagine what this poor little boy endured!! My heart goes out to his father. Little Ethan didn't even want to talk to his mom on the phone. What child doesn't want to talk to their mother? That says it all!!

Heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking. Rest in peace in God's arms, little Ethan.

Why? Why on earth would 2 grown-ups inflict such pain on a defenseless child...sounds like the little boy slowly died over a period of 3 days. He should have been happy, playing outside with his friends...going to pre-school. Just doesn't make sense. And, this useless piece of s*%t for a mother is afraid that the boyfriend will hurt her, so she lets him hurt her son and then runs off and marries him? PIG!

WARNING: These documents contain graphic and disturbing information describing the abuse, death and burial of Ethan Stacy. Read the probable cause documents for Stephanie Sloop and Nathan Sloop.

FARMINGTON -- A 31-year-old man used a hammer to disfigure the face and teeth of a 4-year-old boy to delay identification of his body, according to a probable cause statement released by the Davis County Sheriff's Office.

The probable cause affidavits were filed by Layton Police Department for Nathanael Warren Sloop and Stephanie Christine Sloop, 27, the mother of Ethan Stacy.

The sheriff's corrections division released the affidavits following open records requests by the Standard-Examiner and other media.

Ethan's body was found late Tuesday afternoon, buried near Powder Mountain.

Both affidavits are two pages long and each briefly outline the police investigation into how the boy died.

Davis County Attorney's Office plans to file formal charges in 2nd District Court on Friday against Nathan Sloop and Stephanie Sloop. A press conference will be held at 11 a.m. Friday to discuss what the exact charges will be, said Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings.

"We are truly sorry for the family of Ethan Stacy and will be mindful of them as this case progresses," Rawlings wrote in press release sent out Wednesday.

According to the affidavits, police recovered photo images of Ethan from a cell phone that "showed a progression of injuries to the child on the head and facial area."

A custody fight in Virginia led to a judge's order that the 4-year-old boy spend the summer in Utah with his mother, police said Wednesday.

The biological father of Ethan Stacy received a full briefing on the slaying Wednesday, he told The Associated Press.

"I can't talk right now. I just got the horrible news, talking to prosecutors," said Joe G. Stacy of Tazewell, Va. "Right now is not the time."

Ethan arrived in Utah on May 1, flying here from Florida with his mother, according to a press release.

An autopsy was conducted Wednesday at the state medical examiner's office.

The Sloops are currently booked in the Davis County Jail. Nathan Sloop on booked in aggravated homicide, felony child abuse, obstruction of justice, desecration of a corpse and damaging a jail.

The damaging a jail charge stems from damage Sloop caused to a holding cell at the Layton Police Department, according to a police press release.

Stephanie Sloop is booked on felony child abuse, obstruction of justice and desecration of a corpse.

According to a clerk at the Davis County clerk/auditor's office the two were married on May 6 at the Davis County Memorial Courthouse.

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Welcome to our Wedding Page.. We're still a little under construction as I work on this little by little... as we've got a little over 4 months to plan as of today! I'm glad everyone could take the time to view our page, and for being such great friends and family that you took the time to visit our page, learn about us, how we met, and our wedding to come.


Welcome!!!!
About Us
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Ceremony
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Registry
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Photo Album
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About the bride

I have known Stephanie since I was 15 yeras old. However all throughout highschool her and I never dated, but knew all about each other. Then Just a few years ago as I was going through the deepest, darkest part of my life dealing with My child being kidnapped and being in the middle of a vicious divorce, I began receiving these encouraging emails that had impeccable timing. That was My Steph sending me an encouraging word just when I was at my lowest.
On October 8th I sent her an email and saw she lived in Vegas. 7 hours south of me. What are the odds!! We spoke nonstop for the next 24 hours as we began to book her a flight to come up and see me. Now the important thing to know is that I was All done with the so called 'Dating Game'. What a joke of a world we live in. The more Genuine You are in todays world the more that people dont want to date you. So all of a Sudden I found myself talking to a woman who was a "take me or leave me-this is who I am" kind of woman. Thats exactly the kind of man I am and I thought well this either is a Match made in Heaven or it will never work. Well as the Next 24 hours proved conclusively it was a "Match made in Heaven"
She showed up 24 hours after our first phone call and with no make up and dressed casual, She was the Most Beautiful Woman I have ever laid eyes on. I took a picture of her before she saw me and she was looking like she used to look while watching me at the lacrosse games. Trying to guess which way I was coming from. She was SO Cute!! Beautiful purple scraf around her neck, hair pulled back and as I walked up behind her she smelled Amazing!! She turned and instantly she turned beet red!! I Embraced her with a huge hug and Kissed her right there for the Very First Time!! Wow! What an Amazing Kisser!!!
Even though I never thought I would find the Woman of my dreams, I all of a sudden found Myself Kissing the Woman of my dreams in the Salt Lake City Airport!!! I couldn't wait to hold her hand and get her bags loaded into My truck. I Knew Right then and there "She was the ONE" Truly LOVE at First sight!! We immediately began to treat each other like we had been together for years. Ive never felt more comfortable with a woman. She is Incredibly Intelligent, a fast thinker, a brilliant sense of humor, a Loving Nurturing Woman through and through, and to Top it All off she Is Drop Dead Gorgeous!!
Truly, Steph brings more to the table than all the women I have ever known if You put them All together. I would have never been so audacious to Ask God for someone so special. She not only fills every Gap I have but She even completes parts of me that I never knew needed to made complete. She is an Amazing conversationalist and I love just talking with her for hours and hours. She is not challenged by my fast thinking brain but rather she keeps up and then some. She Cooks like a master Chef, loves the same kind of movies I do, and instead of provoking my Bad Boy side, she respects it. She doesnt try and provoke me to protect her but rather she Loves me in ways I couldnt even ask her to do. She gets right under my armor and gets right to the little boy in me and by doing so she makes Every Part of Me wanna be a better Man!!
Steph is the Most Special, Loving, Nurturing, Tough, Caring, Fun, Exciting Woman I have ever Met in Real life or in My Dreams!! I am SO IN LOVE With HER!! I am So Honored to be Her Man!! When July 4th, 2010 comes I will consider myself the luckiest Man inthe History of All civilization. I Will Finally Be Married to My SoulMate!! My Lover!! My Best Friend!! Since we have been together we have never spent one day away from each other. If I have it My way we never willl either!! Whether we are going to get Dressed up Nice and go out for sushi (Our Favorite) or we are staying home and she makes me her special cinnamon enchiladas, I never am as happy as when I am around My beloved Steph!! She is supportive when the world is crashing down around me, and has My back when no one else will. She nurtures Me and sees right though My tough guy shield and loves on that Big Heart that nobody has been shown!!
I could Go on for Days and Days and thats why I am Honored to Be Marrying this Amazing Woman!! She is the Most treasured, Special , Amazing person that has EVER Entered My Life!! I Would Do Anything for her. Fight for Her. Kill for Her. Live for Her!! Die for Her!! She is my Nurturing Angel and Ill never let go, because every moment with her makes me a better person!! Thank You God Above for bringing her into My Life!! I'll Always be there for her no matter Rich or poor. Going through the worst of times or the Best of times! Steph is Finally the Partner that I never even thought existed. I love You, Stephanie. I Truly am In Love with YOU!!!

I first met Nathan in 1995. I was 12 years old, and he was actually with my best friends sister at the time. He was 4 years older than me, so we didnt go to high school together.
Nathan changed me, though many think that's not possible. Nathan made me realize that for years I was writing checks my ego couldn't cash. We all have egos, some under control, some aren't. Though mine wasn't completely out of whack, it did need adjustments. Nathan showed me how to filter what I say and do, do what I say, and say what I mean, as your WORD is all you have in this world. Being together, we've both brought so much to the table. For starters, we began with full disclosure so that way our ex's couldn't try and use things against us. Its proven to make our relationship even stronger. Nathan has taught me so much, taken care of me, and been the man of my dreams. We share the same blood type, had the same surgeries as children, and most of all, we've taken the time to understand eafh other. The underlyings of that are between Nathan and I, but we have taken the time to understand each other, and that's what makes us so perfect together: we clearly communicate, as you should in a relationship. He tells me when I mess up, and helps correct me when I'm wrong. That's what a relationship is. Growing together, and helping each other. I couldn't imagine another day without him. It was truly love at first sight. I couldn't be happier with a better man. Someone else's garbage is now my treasure.
In the time we've been together, he has saved my life twice, without it having been in danger for provoking his bad side. I became pregnant in December, and with twins. I had began to bleed, and we went to the hospital to find out what was wrong, as I had severe abdominal pain, and bleeding. I had a cyst on my left ovary the size of a golf ball, filled with blood. I had twins trapped in the fallopian tubes, and a blot clot in my uterus. A surgery that was supposed to last one hour turned into 2 1/2. The doctor came out after my surgery and said if I had waited another 12 hours, I wouldnt have been alive. The second time, I went into a diabetic shock, and I was going to walk out our side door, and passed out in the process. Had Nathan not caught me, I would fallen flat on my face and possibly had broken my neck.
The more I think about all of this, had I not been with Nathan, and back in Vegas, or even in Florida, I would've had no idea that I was going to die. Even though I lost the babies we planned to have, it saved my life. You can always have more children, but Nathan couldn't replace me. He was the man I was meant to be with, and fills every gap in my heart. I can't tell him enough every day how much he means to me, and how funny it is that God was taunting us when we met all those years ago, and here we are, 15 years later, and all this time we were meant to be together, God just was waiting for the right time. I couldn't be happier or more appreciative of the great man God has given me. Though I loved my ex, we just weren't meant to fit together like Nathan and I do. Total acceptance and love is hard to come by. It was truly love at first sight. I will love and be here for him until the end. July 4, 2010, I will become Mrs. Nathan Sloop and couldn't be prouder. I love My Nater Bean!


How we met

We met in 1995, I was 12, he was 16. We saw each other in passing, through Lacrosse games at Cypress Creek, and when at mutual friends houses', but we didnt really get to know each other until 2009. The next time we saw each other is when I flew in, October 9, 2009.

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Ethan Stacy's last days before allegedly being beaten to death and buried in the mountains of northern Utah were nothing but constant torturous abuse, according to police documents released late Wednesday and viewed by Crimesider.

According to probable cause documents from the Layton County Sheriff's Department concerning the arrest of Ethan's mother Stephanie Sloop, the mom received a phone call last Friday from her husband, Nathanael Sloop, saying the 4-year-old had burned himself while taking a bath.

When Stephanie arrived home, the documents say that she found Ethan badly scorched on both feet and along the back of his legs to his buttock area. She also noticed what she described to police as human feces in Ethan's mouth.

Ethan's body was found wrapped in plastic in Ogden canyon in Utah on Tuesday evening. His mother and stepfather reported him missing Monday, saying that he wandered out of the family's apartment in Layton; however, police arrested and charged both the mother and the stepfather with his death Tuesday.

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Ethan Stacy photos and pictures: Ethan Stacy had human feces in mouth
Thursday, May 13, 2010 by Admin ·

After Ethan Stacy’s mother, Stephanie Sloop told authorities that Ethan was severely burned in the bathtub, she also said she found human feces in his mouth. (read past stories here)

Slideshow:Ethan Stacy, Stephanie, Nathanael Sloop (photos, pictures, videos)

Though Nathanael Sloop, Stephanie’s husband of one day, told her that Ethan burned himself in the bathtub, she told authorities that she believed he inflicted the serious injuries on Ethan. Still, she failed to provide medical attention for Ethan. Ethan had been severely beaten on May 5, 2010, forced to drink enormous amounts of liquid, had been vomiting, lethargic, would not eat and had a fever, and on May 7, 2010, when she was out of the apartment, was notified by Nathanael that Ethan had severely burned himself in the bathtub. When she arrived home and checked on Nathan, she said that she found human feces in his mouth. When she brushed his teeth, his gums began to bleed.

Read Probable Cause Statements in Ethan Stacy Case


Stephanie Sloop then told authorities that on May 8, 2010, Ethan had smeared his feces on the bathroom wall and on Nate. She also said that she found human feces in his mouth a second time and brushed his teeth again. She told authorities that when she brushed his teeth, his lips were bleeding. Through this time, Ethan Stacy continued to vomit and there was vomit and blood in his bed.

Though Stephanie Sloop did not mention anything about sexual abuse, there is a high probability that Ethan Stacy may have been sexually abused. Her account that Ethan’s feces were on Nathanael Sloop indicates that there was some sort of contact with him.

Smearing human feces on the wall is indicative of sexual abuse and was seen in the Shaniya Davis case. Children may smear human feces due to extreme psychological stress, but he admission that his feces were on Nate is something that authorities will undoubtedly look at.

An autopsy is being performed on Ethan Stacy to determine the exact cause of death. Authorities have not revealed how badly disfigured his body was or if Stephanie Sloop and Nathanael Sloop burned his body to hide evidence.

Please see slideshow and other docs here:

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This is one of the most horrific cases I have ever heard of!!!

Once again, I notice that the suspect once played Lacrosse. What is it about that game anyway? It has been mentioned in the cases in VA. Does it attract a physically aggressive sort of person? (I have never seen a game and do not know how it is played.) They look like normal people from the webpages posted here. Sometimes you just cannot tell what people are capable of. I cannot bear to view anymore than this so I refrained from going to the links.

I want to know why this woman is not charged with accessory to murder in the first degree? There is no way that she is not completely and utterly culpable
for the death of her child. Her crime is as heinous as the monster that she married - and I hope they both get the death penalty. There is something terribly wrong in our society when a woman in this circumstance can only have a charge of felony child abuse plus those other lesser charges. If this had
been an ADULT victim and not a child - she would have been charged as an accessory - why is it different for a child???? Why?

This is also one of the worst cases I have read about. Reminds of Baby Grace. These people are as evil as evil gets. May they rot in Hell.
If you look at the slideshow he looks terribly thin.

JVM is talking about it right now. It's utterly horrific!!

Divorce documents from the newlywed Layton couple accused of abusing and killing 4-year-old Ethan Stacy show a disturbing history of abuse and fear.

Both of the former spouses of Nathan and Stephanie Sloop were also in fear for the safety of their children because of the unstable behavior of their exes.

The biological father of Ethan Stacy described his ex-wife Stephanie Sloop as "unstable" and said he feared she would take their son and he'd never see him again.

The former wife of Nathan Sloop described him as mentally unstable, violent, and having multiple personalities — including one personality who becomes extremely angry when criticized. She said she feared for her life and for her daughter's life.

The divorce documents include transcripts of profanity-laced tirades that Nathan Sloop — who prosecutors plan to charge Friday with the murder of his stepson — left as voice mails for his former wife, Jennifer Freeman.

"I only wish now that I could (expletive) take you out of (their daughter's) life. I am going to do every (expletive) thing possible within my power to take you the (expletive) out of her life (expletive). I don't give a (expletive) if I gotta spend the rest of my (expletive) life in prison. (Expletive) you. I'm coming after your (expletive) throat."

In September, Nathan Sloop allegedly left another series of threatening messages on Freeman's voice mail, at one point threatening to kill her boyfriend "Mike," and then adding, "you'll be next in line."

Nathan Sloop left five voice mail messages in less than 20 minutes and six within 90 minutes, according to the court documents.

"He hugs my (expletive) daughter, he comes near my (expletive) daughter he is (expletive) done. Over," one message said.

Nathan Sloop and Freeman had one daughter together. She turns 6 later this month. The daughter, who was born in Utah when the couple lived in Roy, now lives in Florida where Freeman moved after her divorce.

In November, Freeman asked the court to ban Nathan Sloop from having any electronic contact with her.

"I am deathly afraid (Nathan Sloop) will harm me or my family," Freeman wrote in court documents.

As recently as March, Jennifer Freeman sought to have a permanent restraining order against him. The couple's divorce was finalized in August of 2008.

"The wife has been the victim of domestic violence," her attorneys wrote in court documents. "The husband has a felony criminal history for drug-related criminal activity, and has for years been diagnosed and treated for multiple personality disorders."

In court documents, Freeman describes Nathan Sloop as having a "history of instability and mental illness" including being diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. His other personalities go by the names "Ghost" and "New York," she wrote. "Ghost," she wrote, "becomes enraged at any perceived slight or criticism."

Freeman feared Sloop would hurt their daughter as a way to get back at her.

Similarly, Joe Stacy feared his ex-wife, Stephanie Sloop, would use their son Ethan to get back at him.

Joe Stacy filed for divorce from Stephanie C. Stacy in October, according to records from the Florida court. Both were required to undergo parenting classes and the Uniform Child Custody Act was invoked, which deals with children of divorced parents who live in different states.

In November, Joe Stacy filed an emergency motion for custody.

"The mother is unstable and I'm afraid she will come to Florida and take him," he wrote in his motion.

Joe Stacy was particularly concerned about sending Ethan to Utah with the boy's mother for the summer as the terms of his divorce required. He spelled out his concerns in divorce documents filed six months before Ethan left for Utah.

"The mother has abandoned the child and I'm afraid the mother will come and take him and I'll never see him again," Joe Stacy, who then lived in Apopka, Fla., wrote in the November 2009 custody petition filed in the Circuit Court of the 9th Judicial Court of Orange County, Fla.

Judge Maura T. Smith handled the Stacys' divorce. She told the Deseret News Thursday, however, that the couple had already reached a marital agreement settlement on their own, which was signed in front of a mediator, by the time the divorce was finalized in her courtroom.

The divorce was uncontested by both parties, she said. During a brief 10 minute hearing to finalize the divorce, she said only Joe Stacy was present.

Because the case was still active, meaning the court has jurisdiction over the divorce to make sure all stipulations were being met, the judge said she could not talk about specific details regarding the case. She said she heard the news about Ethan's death but could not comment on the matter.

She noted that the Orange County courthouse sees hundreds of cases similar to the Stacys' divorce every few days.

In their marital settlement agreement, the court prohibited Ethan's maternal grandmother and her husband from having any contacting with Ethan, Stephanie or Joe Stacy.

The agreement was signed Feb. 3, 2010.

Despite the repeated warnings, Ethan was sent to Utah and was killed less than two weeks later and his body buried in a remote area near Powder Mountain.

Nathan Sloop was booked Tuesday into the Davis County Jail for investigation of aggravated murder. He and Stephanie Sloop were both booked for investigation of child abuse, obstruction of justice and desecration of a corpse.

The Sloops' alleged crime has shocked the nation.

At the Sloops' Layton apartment Thursday, the sunny spring day did little to lighten the mood.

A steady stream of friends, neighbors and complete strangers continued to visit the site Thursday as a small makeshift memorial to Ethan continued to grow.

The pile of gifts included stuffed animals, flowers, candles, balloons and even a Happy Meal signed by the "Layton McDonalds staff."

Many messages bore the telltale signatures and pictures of neighborhood children.

"I'm sorry your (sic) gone," read one message, scrawled in a child's handwriting.

Other letters and cards offered messages of hope.

"God is watching and waiting. … You'll know you're in a much better place," read another letter addressed to Ethan.

As prosecutors prepared Thursday for a Friday press conference, at which time official charges were expected to be announced, Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said his office had received numerous calls from members of the public.

His staff was sorting through an extensive amount of evidence and he promised, "We will seek the maximum penalty allowed by law for the crimes we can prove."

The Sloops are expected to make an initial appearance in 2nd District Court Friday afternoon.

In other court documents obtained by the Deseret News Thursday, Joe Stacy filed for a protective order against another spouse in 2007, Michelle Rodriguez, whom he also feared would take his children and flee to London while he was away on military duty.

Joe Stacy claimed in court documents that Rodriguez pulled a knife on him, slapped their kids, left them alone in a room while she went to a bar and then brought men back to the apartment to have sexual relations while the children were still there.http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700032192/Father-of-Ethan-Stacy-feared-unstable-mother-would-steal-him.html?pg=3

I can't bear to even read about this case...The abuse is too much...I am going to have to avoid this one...I just can't take it

Lisette, I wish I didn't read about it. It is absolutely horrific.
He went to live with his "mother", against his wishes, mandated by a judge on 5/2, beat on 5/5, and she still married the monster the next frigging day. She is just as guilty. He was dead 10 days later, after moving in. And, you know what is scary? In their pics they look like "normal" people. Why would the "mother" take pics of his worsening condition every day? That in itself baffles me.

I agree with you all - this is absolutely sickening!! What really bothers me is reading their "touching" tributes to each other... they sound like the most wonderful people in the world! I hope they both get the DP!!

If its true that the prison population takes revenge against those who harm children, then I hope that the inmates in the prisons these 2 are sent to, are well informed about the horrors inflicted on this little boy!
I agree with ya'll it's impossible to read about everything that happened to him.

wow, i actually had to step out for a minute!! how can people be sooo heartless!! i bet that "man" is going to do the whole insanity plea!!! it just pisses me off soooo much that she actually married that monster!!! why didn't she take him in to the hospital after finding those burn marks??? after he was sick for soo long!! and she cannot try and say she didn't see that monster beat the baby!! the abuse just sickens me, but what really takes me to the edge is that SHE STAYED WITH HIM!!! SHE LOVED THAT MONSTER MORE THAN HER PRECIOUS BABY!!! nobody should have to live what the poor baby lived in the hands of those evil "people"
PLEASE PLEASE ALL SINGLE MOMS OUT THERE.. do backround checks on your boyfriends! please do backround checks on the dad's girlfriends! anybody is capable of evil these days!

I think everyone has said what I was thinking they are pure evil and I hope they both rot in hell forever! Ethan was such a adorable little boy he reminds me of my nephew when he was little. This is truly heartbreaking!

This is just too unbelievable and very disturbing to read. Cannot even begin to think about what poor Ethan had to endure. The mother deserves as much or more punishment than the stepfather. I feel so sorry for the father.

The biological father of Ethan Stacy described his ex-wife Stephanie Sloop as "unstable" and said he feared she would take their son and he'd never see him again

Yes, and that is exactly what happened. I am in no way blaming the bio dad but hell would have frozen over before I would have allowed this excuse for a mother to have him for even one day, much less the entire Summer.

In my eyes, Stephanie Sloop is as much to blame, if not more so, for allowing that maniac anywhere near her son.

This is one of the worst cases I have ever heard. The mere thought of what that poor child went through makes me ill. I had to take a step back yesterday it bothered me so much.

Its the law that is going to perpetuate this disaster by NOT charging the mother with the same charges as the father as an accessory to murder. They do not charge
the same as they would for adults when the victims are children. WHY - when that starts to change we will see justice for these poor children.

Wrapitup wrote:

The biological father of Ethan Stacy described his ex-wife Stephanie Sloop as "unstable" and said he feared she would take their son and he'd never see him again

Yes, and that is exactly what happened. I am in no way blaming the bio dad but hell would have frozen over before I would have allowed this excuse for a mother to have him for even one day, much less the entire Summer.

In my eyes, Stephanie Sloop is as much to blame, if not more so, for allowing that maniac anywhere near her son.

This is one of the worst cases I have ever heard. The mere thought of what that poor child went through makes me ill. I had to take a step back yesterday it bothered me so much.

I agree Wrap. This poor child didn't stand a chance with those two self-centered psychos!! It reminds me so much of what poor Shaniya Davis went through when her father sent her to live with her "mother"... and ended up tortured & murdered.

I was trying to understand how the "mother" of this boy could be so cruel & indifferent to his sufferings, and the only thing I could imagine was that he probably was pleading to go back to his father (after finding out what a scary dude his "stepdad" was). This most likely enraged them & caused them to try & "punish" him until he finally died. It is truly heartbreaking...

artgal16 wrote:Its the law that is going to perpetuate this disaster by NOT charging the mother with the same charges as the father as an accessory to murder. They do not charge
the same as they would for adults when the victims are children. WHY - when that starts to change we will see justice for these poor children.

I don't understand why they wouldn't charge the same... children are people too! Is this just the case in Utah?

Rainbow, same here. Last night I was again thinking of this poor little boy, and what horrible things he endured. I asked myself the same ?, how could his mother let this happen and chronicle it on her phone? Then I pictured him crying he wanted to go back to his father. Rem. in their love notes the step-father saying something like he doesn't like to feel slighted (something to that effect, I can't bear to reread) and the mother's note Re: losing her twins..."they can be replaced but I can't be". True narcistic behavior at it's core. They weren't put 1st on the pedestal. And he paid the ultimate price.

I was on the hinky meters site she posted that they dont have enough evidence to charge this guy with murder yet? I tried to follow her link but it wouldnt open!
I just cannot believe that.

What! They have a dead 4 year old with a shattered face, burnt legs...and they don't have enough evidence!

This story of abuse gets worse and worse.

Ethan Stacy photos and pictures: Facebook photo shows Ethan with swollen face before his death

A new photo has been creating an Internet buzz in the case of slain 4-year-old Ethan Stacy. The photo shows Ethan sitting on a sofa next to his stepfather, accused murderer Nathanael Sloop, as Sloop plays video games. The photo was dated May 5, 2010, just four days before Ethan was found dead by his mother.

In the photo, you can clearly see swelling around Ethan’s jaw and mouth. He appears as if dazed and one can only imagine what type of pain little Ethan was suffering as the man accused of beating him to death sat there and played video games.

The tragic case of Ethan Stacy has touched the nation and has not received the media attention that it deserves. The horrific account of Ethan’s death is hard to fathom because his mother told authorities that she stood by as Nathanael continually beat Ethan. It was Stephanie Sloop’s cell phone where the photos were taken from. The public simply cannot comprehend how a mother could photograph horrific injuries of her own child and not do anything to prevent them.

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Ethan Stacy photo shows injury to his mouth and jaw. There is possible bruising under his eye.


Authorities stated in probable cause statements that Stephanie Sloop had photographed Ethan’s injuries and one of the photos was online at Stephanie’s Facebook page before the site was removed. The photo is extremely difficult to look at as it clearly shows Ethan with a swollen jaw and mouth. The photo was dated May 5, 2010. Police believe that Ethan Stacy died on May 9, 2010.

Ethan Stacy’s funeral will be held tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Members of the Facebook group, Justice for Ethan Stacy, who cannot attend the funeral have been mourning and grieving the loss of this sweet, angel faced 4-year-old child who suffered excruciating pain and agony before he died.

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This is so heartbreaking... the only thought that gives me comfort is knowing little Ethan is safe in the arms of Jesus.

I think the "signature" quote that lindamarie has on her profile, is so appropriate for this sad story. We all need to "stand up for children", because they cannot stand up for themselves. We can't just stand by and watch them being abused... even if it is our own boyfriend/husband who is the abuser! This mother is just as guilty as her husband for allowing her son to be subjected to this abuse!!

I'm actually wondering why she was posting pictures on Facebook of Ethan's abuse? Was that her way of trying to get someone to help him? Very strange...

Ironically, I just realized that Ethan died on Mother's Day! That will hopefully be the last Mother's Day that his "mother" will be able to celebrate!!

This makes me so mad! The bio dad WARNED of a possible problem if Ethan went with his Mom and the judge sent him anyway! I do NOT understand why our legal system forces children to be put back into the hands of those that hurt them!

May 19th, 2010 @ 11:47am
By Mary Richards
SALT LAKE CITY -- A woman who used to work with Nathan Sloop says there's no way he has a mental illness, even though he may try to use something like that as a defense.

Laura, who didn't want her last name used, says she started working with Nathan Sloop in September 2009. He taught classes to insurance agents on how to pass a test.

"He was very together," Laura says. "He dressed in Armani-type suits. He had gold cuff links. He was very, very well put together."

On Wednesday, during KSL Newsradio's "The Doug Wright Show," Laura said that Sloop was also well-spoken and knew how to beat the system.

She says she was shocked and horrified when she learned of his arrest because he hadn't seemed like the kind of guy that could do anything like that.

Still, Laura says she laughed when she heard about a possible insanity defense.

"I will never believe that he has any sort of mental illness," she says.
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I just found this article, and even though it's almost a week old... I thought it was quite interesting, as I'm sure the defense will try to come up with some "insanity" plea.

Thanks for the above post, Rainbow.

This just goes to show that Sloop was a "regular guy" to the public, but a complete maniac behind closed doors.

That is why it is so important to really get to know someone before "dating" them or having them live with you. Get a background check. Ask questions, get to know their friends. It is crucial!!

Stephanie Sloop makes her first appearance at the Second District Court in Farmington, Utah, on May 14, 2010. She is a suspect in the death of her 4-year-old son Ethan Stacy whose body was found buried in a wooded area near Powder Mountain on Tuesday, May 11, 2010. Formal charges have not been filed.


It's an ABC4 exclusive, mother and accused killer Stephanie Sloop finally speaks out from her jail cell.

ABC4 wrote Stephanie Sloop a letter last week, asking the Layton woman about her thoughts and feelings on her life, her deceased son Ethan and the potential murder charges. On Wednesday, ABC4 finally received a response from Stephanie on the back of the original letter we sent the accused killer.

"HA, HA, HA (in capital letters she writes), I've invoked my right to remain silent or didn't my attorney already say that?" Sloop wrote in large letters in pencil on the back of our request then mailed it in our lilac self-addressed envelope we originally enclosed. The Chief Deputy for the Davis County Jail confirms that Sloop is the only one who could have seen that letter.

However, Criminal Defense Attorney Greg Skordas says sending the letter was a bad idea. "Her tone is offensive and mocking," Skordas told ABC4 after reading it. "It's creepy," he continued and said that if her defense wanted to say she wasn't mentally competent at the time of the murder, the letter contradicts that defense. "She references the 6th amendment of the constitution, it contras any potential defense if she says she doesn't remember or was in a fog, " Skordas believes.

Stephanie and her husband Nathan Sloop are currently behind bars in Davis County. The couple will appear before a judge on Friday where aggravated murder charges may be filed, autopsy results of 4-year-old Ethan Stacy are expected as well.

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That is why it is so important to really get to know someone before "dating" them or having them live with you. Get a background check. Ask questions, get to know their friends. It is crucial!!

In this case, it seems that the mother was just as bad as the man...When it came to the safety of her child, she just didn't CARE about his background!

I agree, lisette! However, I've been trying to understand how a mother could just stand back & watch her son being abused by her boyfriend/husband. I'm starting to wonder if she was genuinely afraid of him (Nathan Sloop), and maybe her way of trying to get help for her son was by posting the pictures of him on Facebook? I'm also wondering if she was also trying to get back at her ex-husband (she knew how much he loved their son)?

No matter what, though, she could have stepped in and rescued her boy, and she chose not to! So, I do hold her responsible (along with Nathan Sloop). IMO, they both deserve the DP!!

The mother of a 4-year-old boy who was beaten to death, disfigured and buried in the mountains has now been charged with aggravated murder along with the child's stepfather. Stephanie Sloop, 27, and Nathanael Sloop, 31, are also charged with child abuse, obstruction of justice and abuse or desecration of a body.
Because all of the charges are felonies, under Utah law both are eligible for the death penalty.

"The criminal acts included beatings, burning, drugging, isolating, malnourishing, leaving the child alone and unattended while suffering, and refusing to seek vital life-sustaining medical attention," according to court papers. "After causing the child's death, the defendant, as a party, desecrated and buried the child's body."

Investigators said that Stephanie Sloop told them that she bought two cans of lighter fluid for Nathanael to use to burn Ethan's body before burying. Police did not say if his body, found wrapped in plastic and buried in the mountains near Layton, was actually burned.

Abused From Day One?

Ethan was sent from Virginia by his father to spend the summer with his mother in Utah under court order. Ten days later, his mother told police that he was missing and had apparently wandered away from her apartment. His body was found the following day.

From the time Ethan arrived at his mother's house he began to be physically abused by his stepfather. At one point, Stephanie told investigators that she came home to find the boy scaled on his lower body and what appeared to be human feces in his mouth.

In spite of the continued abuse, Stephanie did not seek medical attention for Ethan, she told police, because she was afraid Nathanael would harm her if she tried to do so.

Both Sloops are being held without bail in the Davis County Jail.

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Nathanael Sloop mouthed "I love you" to his mom, and his wife, Stephanie Sloop, choked back tears during brief hearings Friday in 2nd District Court to face aggravated murder charges in the death of 4-year-old Ethan Stacy.

The Sloops, each shackled and wearing red, jail-issued jumpsuits, were led by bailiffs into the packed courtroom for separate hearings that lasted a total of 10 minutes.

Their only comments during the hearings were to confirm their names, ages and address to a court clerk.

They each waived a formal reading of charges pending the appointment next Friday of death-penalty qualified attorneys to represent them.

Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said during the hearing that the prosecution is "heading toward seeking the death penalty" against the pair.

Prosecutors have 60 days to formally decide whether to seek death, life in prison without parole or an indeterminate term of 25 years to life if the Sloops are convicted.

In addition to aggravated murder, the Sloops each face charges of second-degree felony child abuse, second-degree felony obstruction of justice and third-degree felony abuse or desecration of a body. Nathanael Sloop also has been charged with third-degree damaging a jail.

The Sloops were arrested after Ethan's body was found May 11 on the mountainside near Powder Mountain ski resort. Stephanie Sloop, 27, is Ethan's mother, and Nathanael Sloop, 32, is Ethan's stepfather.

Police and prosecutors believe the boy died after days of abuse at the couple's Layton apartment. A Florida judge had ordered the boy sent to Utah for the summer as part of a divorce settlement between Stephanie Sloop and Joe Stacy, her former husband and Ethan's father.

Before the start of Friday's hearing, Nathan Sloop's mother, Pam Sloop, who stood in a hallway outside the courtroom, declined to comment to a Standard-Examiner reporter about the charges her son and daughter-in-law are facing.

Outside the courthouse, numerous spectators gathered, clutching cardboard signs bearing phrases such as an "Eye for an Eye" and "No Doubt Take Them Out." Another sign read "Sloop," with the two O's substituted with a drawing of hangman nooses.

One of the sign carriers, Dennis Turner, of West Haven, said the Sloops deserve swift, harsh justice.

"If they are given the death penalty, it will still be too good for them," he said.

Clearfield resident Dustie Newton, who is Turner's cousin, said he attended the hearing out of respect for Joe Stacy and others related to Ethan.

"Someone's got to have a voice for this family," he said.

August Teuscher, of Clearfield, stood outside the courtroom gathering petition signatures for proposed federal legislation dubbed "Ethan's Law" that, among other things, would require parties in child custody cases to undergo psychological evaluations.

So far, she said, about 4,000 people have signed the online petition.

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August Teuscher, of Clearfield, stood outside the courtroom gathering petition signatures for proposed federal legislation dubbed "Ethan's Law" that, among other things, would require parties in child custody cases to undergo psychological evaluations.

i agree! why give the parent custudy or visitation if they don't want the child in the first place! this happens way too much!

I signed the petition. This did not have to happen!

Friday, at a court hearing for Nathan and Stephanie Sloop, the current lawyers told 2nd District Judge David Connors that court officials have not found suitable lawyers to defend the Sloops. Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said that asking for the death penalty in this case is likely, but the motion hasn’t been filed yet.
Court officials have a list of attorneys to call that must meet the Rule 8 attorney selection process and they are having a difficult time finding suitable attorney’s for the Sloops. The lawyers must have the experience and qualifications to defend someone in a capital case, and they have to want to take the case, as explained by Fox News 13 in the video below.
"[It is] very difficult to find defense attorneys who are both capable and willing to take on these cases. There are many lawyers, actually who are able and willing, in theory, to take on the cases. But, because of the caps on fees and the nature in which fees are provided, it is incredibly costly for lawyers to take on these cases," said Daniel Medwed, a University of Utah law professor (see Fox News 13 video below).
Nathan and Stephanie Sloop have been charged with the murder of 4-year-old Ethan Stacy. Stacy arrived in Utah around May 1 to spend the summer with his mother and stepfather, Nathan and Stephanie Sloop.
Friday, the Sloops appeared in court briefly for the hearing and then left. Nathan mouthed the words I love you to his mother who was in the courtroom. The court date was rescheduled for June 11 at 1 p.m.

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