ROSE HILL, KS — A Kansas couple has been arrested and charged with the murder of their 6-year-old adopted daughter, whose body was found buried in their backyard after being concealed for almost four years. The discovery at the home of Crystina Elizabeth Schroer, 50, and Joseph Shane Schroer, 53, followed a police welfare check that escalated into a homicide investigation in this small town southeast of Wichita.
The arrests have jarred the community and unveiled a shocking timeline, according to law enforcement officials. The deceased child, initially identified as Natalie Garcia at birth before being adopted by the Schroers in 2018, was renamed Kennedy Schroer. Authorities disclosed that the evidence suggests Kennedy was likely suffocated in late 2020, but her death was not uncovered until cadaver dogs detected her remains during a recent search effort necessitated by overgrown vegetation on the property.
Following the harrowing discovery in September, which involved the excavation of Kennedy’s body wrapped in a trash bag, DNA confirmation was required to affirm her identity due to the time elapsed since her suspected death. Crystina Schroer faces charges including murder, child abuse, kidnapping, forgery, among other offenses. Her husband, Joseph, is charged with child abuse, theft, and obstruction of law enforcement. They have been held without bail in Butler County Jail.
The initial encounter with the police began innocuously with a response to a reported mental health crisis at the Schroer residence. However, it quickly morphed into a broader criminal investigation after officers were informed of potential wrongdoings leading to the grim find.
Dedicating over 2,000 investigative hours, local police collaborated with federal agencies like the FBI and IRS to unravel the sequence of events contributing to Kennedy’s untimely demise. The intricacies of the case extend into possible Medicaid fraud, as the Schroers allegedly continued to claim benefits for Kennedy post her death.
The remaining children from the Schroer household, which includes three biological and two other adopted children, have been placed in state care following the revelation of the circumstances surrounding Kennedy’s death. The legal system is now setting the stage for a detailed examination of how such an atrocity could remain hidden for years.
As the Schroers are scheduled for their upcoming court appearance on Wednesday, the community mourns the loss of a young life described by some officials as joyful and vibrant, now acknowledged through solemn tributes. The full narrative of Kennedy’s life and the subsequent legal processes are anticipated to unfold further, providing some semblance of closure to a shaken community.