Dad with toddler’s name tattooed on his face ‘killed her by torturing her until her skull bled’
A father with his toddler daughter’s named tattooed on his face killed the youngster by torturing her until her skull bled, a report claims. The newly-released document from the Kansas Department for Children and Families says Olivia Jansen, 3, died because of significant bleeding at the back of her skull caused by child abuse.
Her father Howard Jansen III, of Kansas City in Kansas, and his girlfriend Jacqulyn Smith, 33, are suspected of carrying out the fatal abuse, and both remain in jail. The report, released Friday, says Olivia’s arms and legs were covered in bruises, and that she had a cut on her head.
Jansen, 29, reported Olivia missing on July 10, claiming he’d put her to bed the night before, only to wake up and find her missing. The youngster was found dead and buried in a shallow grave in a wooded area later the same day.
Jansen was arrested after a man matching his description was spotted in the area acting suspiciously before her body was discovered. His fiancee Smith was arrested the next day, and is also accused of helping inflict the abuse that ultimately killed Olivia.
Olivia’s step-grandmother Elizabeth Jansen has hit out at social services for failing to save the youngster, having called them to report suspected abuse on June 22.
Elizabeth, who is Howard Jansen’s stepmother, said she feared Olivia was suffering abuse at the hands of her dad, and that both Jansen and Smith were abusing drugs around the youngster.
Social workers set up a June 30 video call with Olivia, her dad and dad’s fiancee, and did not take further urgent action because Olivia appeared happy and excited about July 4.
Elizabeth Jansen remains frustrated that chances to save her daughter were missed, and told Fox4KC: ‘A video? Isn’t that kind of a warning?
‘I mean, if I’m saying that I think my grandchild is, that I’m scared for my grandchild, you’re going to video call and that’s all?’
Howard Jansen and his girlfriend were deemed a family in need of a non-emergency assessment after he tested positive for THC – the active ingredient in marijuana – although no such assessment had been carried out before Olivia’s death.
Jansen had previously been reported to social services on February 28 over claims he’d hit Olivia and left one of her legs bruised or broken. An agent visited the family’s home, but didn’t see any signs of abuse. The case was closed after the person who made the allegation recanted their story.
Social workers say Elizabeth Jansen’s final call about Olivia was still being investigated at the time of her murder. They said they’d held a video call rather than an in-person visit after being told the family was on an out-of-state visit.
Jansen and Smith remain in jail ahead of their next court hearing. Olivia’s biological mother was in prison at the time of the youngster’s death and is being kept up to date with the case.
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