2 Green Bay Men Taken Into Custody During Investigation Into Child’s Death

[Sugar Cookie]

The Green Bay Police Department says it arrested two Green Bay men on Friday, believed to be connected with a child’s death on June 24.

According to the release, officers were dispatched to an Alpine Drive residence on Sunday, June 22, around 9:15 a.m. on a report of a two-year-old boy with life-threatening injuries.

The child was treated at a local hospital before being transferred to another medical facility for further aid. The boy died from his injuries on June 24.

On Friday, June 27, the arrest of a 21-year-old man and a 48-year-old man who are suspected to be connected to the death, which is considered suspicious.

Two Green Bay men arrested for alleged connection with two-year-old boy’s suspicious death

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The Green Bay Police Department says it arrested two Green Bay men on Friday, believed to be connected with a child’s death on June 24. According to the release, officers were dispatched to an Alpine Drive residence on Sunday, June 22, around 9:15 a.m. on a report of a...

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[BuffettGirl]

Strike one, they're from Green Bay, the place that produced my Stepdad. I automatically think they're guilty assholes...

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Two Green Bay men appeared in court late Monday afternoon for the death of 2-year-old Leo Escalante.

The father and son have not been charged in the case, but a prosecutor says multiple felonies are coming for both.

Both appearing without an attorney, 21-year-old James and 48-year-old David VanderLeest argued against probable cause statements filed against them in connection to the death of Escalante.

David VanderLeest's name might sound familiar, as he unsuccessfully ran for State Senate and Assembly in the early 2010s and organized a recall effort against Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich in 2022.

Authorities say David initially claimed he was caring for the toddler at his east side Green Bay home June 22, but Deputy District Attorney Wendy Lemkuil says authorities determined James was caring for Escalante.

Lemkuil says James claimed Escalante fell down the stairs, but medical experts and tests showed that wasn't the case.


“This is because it's an acute, alleged to be an acute incident, that would have happened instantaneously. Could have only happened at the hands of the person who would have had the child with them, and that is James VanderLeest,” said Lemkuil.

Family of Escalante tells FOX 11 James VanderLeest is the ex-boyfriend of Escalante's mother. However, he is not Escalante's father.

James has seven open criminal cases against him, including three involving domestic abuse. Court records indicate one of them involves Escalante's mother. James is charged with felony bail jumping for having contact with her.

“James actually told her to say that his dad was the one who was there with the child at the time,” said Lemkuil.

Continue reading

$2 million bond set for Green Bay man arrested in 2-year-old's death; father also arrested

Two men arrested in connection to what police are calling a suspicious death of a 2-year-old boy are expected to make initial court appearances this afternoon.

fox11online.com

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Donate to Support for Leo's family with Funeral, organized by Keri Tucker

My name is Keri Tucker. I am an auntie of Deziray Sanapaw. She recently lost her pre… Keri Tucker needs your support for Support for Leo's family with Funeral

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[BuffettGirl]

Told ya, Assholes!

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Told ya, Assholes!

Confusing but interesting

James has seven open criminal cases against him, including three involving domestic abuse. Court records indicate one of them involves Escalante's mother. James is charged with felony bail jumping for having contact with her.

After Escalante's death, authorities say the VanderLeests took off to a relative's cabin in Florence County where a SWAT team helped take them into custody last Friday.

“I did not leave with my child after this horrible accident happened to our family,” David VanderLeest said in court. “My child was very suicidal. I went and found him to make sure I didn't find him hanging from a tree.”

“There was 20 to 25 minutes that David and James stayed in the house barricading themselves and weren't coming out until they did a flash bomb,” said Lemkuil. “To indicate he was anything other than obstructive is ridiculous.”


“A lot of this is lies,” said James VanderLeest about the findings against him outlined in the probable cause statement.

“Because of him being able to run for his life to a cabin in the woods with his dad, my nephew doesn't get to run on this Earth again,” said Keri Tucker, the aunt of Escalante's mother. “For that, you need to stay in those brick walls, James.”

James was issued a $2 million cash bond. David was issued a $100,000 cash bond.


The recommended charges against James include first-degree reckless homicide.

The top recommended charge against David right now is harboring or aiding a felon. However, the prosecutor says they plan to investigate David for child abuse leading to death, because they say he could have called to try to get help for Escalante.

$2 million bond set for Green Bay man arrested in 2-year-old's death; father also arrested

Two men arrested in connection to what police are calling a suspicious death of a 2-year-old boy are expected to make initial court appearances this afternoon.

fox11online.com

He was abusive but mom still left the child with him

 

[BuffettGirl]

Dad's claim he was suicidal, so he went to find him, might work. Especially if they found two cars at the cabin...

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Dad's claim he was suicidal, so he went to find him, might work. Especially if they found two cars at the cabin...

James looks very special - I question who the hell would date him.

 

[DamagedGoods]

uhh... why did they have this child in the first place if he's her ex, not even the child's father and has a history of domestic violence, including against the child's mother?

 

[Sugar Cookie]

A 2-year-old boy died after suffering multiple injuries to the head, neck and face – injuries inconsistent with the story of a fall down the stairs, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday.

James VanderLeest, 21, was charged with first-degree reckless homicide for the June 22 death of Leo Escalante on Green Bay’s east side. He also faces an obstruction charge and six bail jumping counts.

In court Wednesday, VanderLeest did not yet have an attorney, so another hearing was set for Aug. 14. The $2 million cash bond was continued.

VanderLeest’s father, David VanderLeest, was also arrested in the case. He is scheduled to return to court Thursday. Formal charges have not been filed against him.

Keo Escalante’s mother told police it was James who called her to say the child wasn’t breathing. She went to the home, where she found him “limp” and unresponsive. She also said James wanted her to say it was David who was with the boy when the injuries happened. The mother called 9-1-1.

An officer asked the mother “if she could recall any other words he was saying and she explained James kept telling her, “I’m sorry” and that it was “an accident,”,” the complaint states.

After Escalante’s death, authorities say the VanderLeests took off to a relative’s cabin in Florence County where a SWAT team helped take them into custody.

James admitted he was with the boy and then told police the same story, that Escalante had fallen down the stairs. He repeatedly denied causing the injuries. When pressed, he told police they were not going to get a “fake confession,” the complaint states.

David VanderLeest told police James told him the same version of events about the stair fall.

Escalante was flown to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee where he was pronounced dead two days after his injuries happened. According to the autopsy:

There were blunt force injuries to the head-multiple scalp and facial contusions; deep scalp and subgaleal hemorrhages; subdural hematoma; cerebral edema; scattered contusion of the extremities; three contusions of the trunk; two patterned contusions of the upper extremities.

The injuries were not consistent a fall down the stairs, a doctor told police.

Family of Escalante says James VanderLeest is the ex-boyfriend of Escalante’s mother. However, he is not Escalante’s father.

Green Bay man charged with first-degree reckless homicide for 2-year-old boy’s death

GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) - A 2-year-old boy died after suffering multiple injuries to the head, neck and face...

wtaq.com

 

[Sugar Cookie]

 

[BuffettGirl]

DP TODAY!

 

[Sugar Cookie]

T

DP TODAY!

But we have to make them eat a diaper full of shit as their last meal!

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Families always want justice but never want to hold the person who allowed the monster into the child's life accountable.

During James' court appearance, a group of people from the Menominee Reservation, including distant relatives of Escalante, sat in the front row with signs in support of the victim's family. They told FOX 11 they plan to be at every hearing to make sure those responsible for Escalante's death are held accountable.

"We've got to have some sort of peace in this world. We're here to pretty much work at getting that and just supporting the family as best as we can. As honestly as we can and as respectfully as we can," said Terry Jacobs, Escalante's relative.

According to the criminal complaint, police responded to a home for a report of a child who fell down the steps and was not breathing. The home belongs to David. He was allowing Escalante's mother and the child to stay at the home, despite there being a no-contact order in place between the woman and James.

Toddler's family seeks justice as cases resume against Green Bay men accused in his death

The cases against two Green Bay men charged in connection with the suspicious death of a toddler are moving forward.

fox11online.com

So mom could have asked another family member or someone from the tribe to take Leo - but of course she had to put her own selfish needs first.