HARRISONVILLE, Mo. - Police have found the remains of two babies in two separate coolers in Cass County, Mo. One is thought to have been three to four months old at the time of death, the second just one day old.
It appears the mother of the children was sexually abused by her own father for six years. Four times between the ages of 13 to 19 she gave birth to children. Three of those four children died, one did survive.
Prosecutor Teresa Hensley said the case is the result of a six-year sexual abuse of Rinehart’s daughter.
The father of the abused girl, Danial Rinehart whose last known address is in Independence, Mo., did not report the deaths of those children and has been charged with second degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child, incest, statutory rape and abandoning a corpse.
His wife, Linda Rinehart, has been charged with endangering a child.
Danial is being held by Cass County authorities on $500,000 bond. Linda is being held on $10,000 bond.
Two of the babies were found on the Cass Co. property, while the investigation is ongoing for the remains of the third child.
Police are investigating reports the remains of that child may be on an indian reservation somewhere in Oklahoma.
The fourth and only surviving child between Rinehart and his daughter is a 3-year-old boy now in the custody of protective services.
Between them, Danial and Linda have four daughters. One of those daughters is responsible for tipping off police about the abuse while she was at a Missouri Wal-Mart. The youngest of the daughters is 14. She is now in protective services.
Rinehart Children’s Fund
Family members started a fund to help give the dead children a proper burial and to give counseling to the surviving teens.
If you'd like to help the Rinehart children, donations can be made to the Rinehart Children's Fund
F & C Bank
Holden, MO
(816)850-5516
