Remembering Evey on Thanksgiving

This is our first Thanksgiving without Evelyn. She always enjoyed Thanksgiving and being with her relatives. We miss her dearly.

The following are excerpts from her memorial service. We would also like to thank all of you who have shared our pain. Your words of comfort, caring and concern have been a blessing to us which makes this a special Thanksgiving. Your prayers have helped confirm our belief that Evey is in God's arms. Thank all so very much again.

Thanksgiving is not just to give thanks for that which you have but also for that which you've had. We praise and thank God for having had Evey as our granddaughter on this earth and look forward to having her as our granddaughter in the next.

*****************

God in his infinite wisdom sent to this earth – our Evey.

Evey, We were not cheated by your life being so short; rather we were blessed by it being so important. We’ll miss you important one.

A Prayer

Friday July 8th we had a beautiful candlelight memorial service outside at Windsor Presbyterian Church. When we started to pray about how God was in sorrow too, several raindrops fell. When the prayer was over, the raindrops had stopped.

Truly there is a God, he loves Evey and he loves all of us and is holding her in his arms as he grieves with us.

This is our prayer from that Friday’s Service.


Our Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the short life of Evelyn Celeste Miller. We enjoyed every minute with her and she will be profoundly missed by her entire family.

It is through your will that you sent Evey to be with us. Through your will she has left us.

Will is not a cause. Will is not fault.

If a tree is planted and it is not watered, it will fail and die – that is an example of your will.

In your wisdom you willed that the tree must have water, light and nutrition to have life. When man uses his means to destroy what you willed and created, like taking the tree for shelter or fuel to heat our homes, you know and you understand our need to remove that life.

Conversely, when we knowingly take life; when we do so for our own pleasure, sport or sinful nature we are operating contrary to your teachings. You, God are indeed saddened by our evil ways and we will be condemned forever. I believe that on this day, you, my God and Jesus Christ – my salvation, are in more sorrow over Evey’s death than we are.

In your sadness, you have accepted her back to be with you. We know that you and Jesus will enjoy her blessed spirit eternally.

Just as the un-watered tree will fail, we have failed Evelyn. We have failed millions of other children in the world. We have failed to provide the protection, the care and comfort that she needed to be safe and to grow into a beautiful and kind woman. Through our collective negligence, this tragedy happened and we are all indeed sorrowful and in need of your divine forgiveness.

Today, I pray for your loving forgiveness for whatever errors we have made to shorten Evelyn’s life. I also pray for your hope, help and eternal life for Evey. I pray that you, our Lord God will help us to see evil for what it is and help us to destroy it to make the world a better place for children.

I pray for all people, children, and parents to hold, protect and love each other. I pray that we can see farther than our own doorsteps – not to blame, but to help families in need of help to assure that their children have the ability to flourish into what you, God, willed them to become. We need to become bolder in providing your spiritual love and nourishment to all of your children - our children, so that they may grow straight in faith, judgment and morality.

I pray for the change in twisted evil souls to become changed – to become whole – to come away from their wickedness and seek your redemption and forgiveness. I pray that society can understand the need to permanently isolate those convicted of crimes like the one that took Evey. This is a price that we must willingly pay to help protect innocent children.

God, in whatever we do, give us your grace, your guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit to seek your truth in our every action.

To those who are grieving Evey’s loss, send the comfort and peace of the Holy Spirit to make them whole again and healed by your eternal love.

In the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we pray - Amen

***************

Have a blessed holiday season,

Richard & Linda Christie

Frederiksen indicted today on several more child pornography charges

A Charles City man who helped parent 5-year-old Evelyn Miller, whose July slaying remains unsolved, was indicted Thursday on additional child pornography charges for allegedly receiving and possessing computer images of children engaging in sexual conduct.

A federal grand jury indicted Casey Frederiksen for 12 counts of receiving child pornography on various dates in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and two counts of possession of child pornography in January 2005 and July 2005, assistant U.S. attorney Bob Teig said. (Read the entire article at the Des Moines Register).

Our thoughts and prayers are with Casey and his family.

The indictments:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF IOWA
EASTERN DIVISION
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
vs.
CASEY E. FREDERIKSEN,
Defendant.
))))))))))))
No. CR 05-2030-LRR
COUNTS 1 THROUGH 9
AND 11 THROUGH 13
18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(2)(A):
Receipt of Child
Pornography
COUNTS 10 AND 14
18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B):
Possession of Child
Pornography
SUPERCEDING INDICTMENT
The Grand Jury charges:
COUNT 1
On or about July 17, 2003, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant CASEY E.
FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual depictions of
minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having been
transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
COUNT 2
On or about August 17, 2004, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant CASEY
E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual depictions of
minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having been
transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
Case 6:05-cr-02030-LRR Document 19 Filed 11/17/2005 Page 1 of 5

2
COUNT 3
On or about August 19, 2004, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant CASEY
E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual depictions of
minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having been
transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
COUNT 4
On or about August 20, 2004, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant CASEY
E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual depictions of
minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having been
transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
COUNT 5
On or about August 21, 2004, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant CASEY
E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual depictions of
minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having been
transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
COUNT 6
On or about September 9, 2004, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant
CASEY E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual
depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having
been transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
Case 6:05-cr-02030-LRR Document 19 Filed 11/17/2005 Page 2 of 5

3
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
COUNT 7
On or about September 12, 2004, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant
CASEY E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual
depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having
been transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
COUNT 8
On or about September 19, 2004, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant
CASEY E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual
depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having
been transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
COUNT 9
On or about September 24, 2004, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant
CASEY E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual
depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having
been transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
COUNT 10
On or about January 20, 2005, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant CASEY
E. FREDERIKSEN, knowingly possessed and attempted to possess visual depictions of
a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having been
Case 6:05-cr-02030-LRR Document 19 Filed 11/17/2005 Page 3 of 5

4
transported in interstate and foreign commerce, and having been produced using
materials that had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce,
namely, a CD-R, which was manufactured outside the state of Iowa.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(5)(B).
COUNT 11
On or about February 19, 2005, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant
CASEY E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual
depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having
been transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
COUNT 12
On or about February 20, 2005, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant
CASEY E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual
depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having
been transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
COUNT 13
On or about March 24, 2005, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant CASEY
E. FREDERIKSEN knowingly received and attempted to receive visual depictions of
minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having been
transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252A(a)(2)(A).
Case 6:05-cr-02030-LRR Document 19 Filed 11/17/2005 Page 4 of 5

5
COUNT 14
In or about July 2005, in the Northern District of Iowa, defendant CASEY E.
FREDERIKSEN, knowingly possessed and attempted to possess images of minors
engaged in sexually explicit conduct, said visual depictions having been transported in
interstate and foreign commerce, and having been produced using materials that had
been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, namely, a computer
hard drive, which was manufactured outside the state of Iowa.
This in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(5)(B).
A TRUE BILL
s/ Foreperson 11/17/05
Grand Jury Foreperson
Presented by:
CHARLES W. LARSON, SR.
United States Attorney
By:
s/ Sean R. Berry
SEAN R. BERRY
Assistant United States Attorney
Case 6:05-cr-02030-LRR Document 19 Filed 11/17/2005 Page 5 of 5

Grand Jury Meeting Today

Evelyn Miller's family resumes grand jury testimony today
By JESSICA MILLER, Courier Staff Writer
CEDAR RAPIDS --- Grand jury testimony involving the family of a slain 5-year-old girl will continue today.

Lindsey Christie of Waterloo, the stepmother of Evelyn Miller, said she was subpoenaed to testify this morning. Her husband, Andrew Christie, Evelyn's father, testified before the grand jury in October in matters not directly related to the girl's death. (Full article at the Waterloo Courier).

River searched in Miller case

Charles City Press 11/14/05

By Jennifer Meyer Staff writer

A 5-man dive team searched the bottom of the Cedar River for about five hours on Saturday for clues in the Evelyn Miller murder investigation.

Floyd County Sheriff Rick Lynch said Monday that divers searched an area of the river northwest of Charles City.

“Nothing was found of interest to the case,” Lynch said.

Evelyn Miller, 5, disappeared from her apartment complex near Floyd on July 1. Her body was found on July 6 in the Cedar River two miles from her home.

Authorities say Evelyn was murdered, but have not said when or how she was killed. No arrests have been made.

Lynch said he and two Floyd County deputies, sheriff’s reserves and state Division of Criminal Investigation agents joined Waterloo divers at the search location around 9:30 a.m. They remained at the site until around 2:30 p.m., when it began to rain, he said.

Lynch said revealing the exact location of the search could jeopardize the case, but said, leads generated from interviews and K-9 searches led investigators to the site.

Floyd County Attorney Marilyn Dettmer on Monday confirmed that K-9s were used to search an area south of Charles City late on Friday morning.

“They were here to do a little more fine-tuning,” she said.

Forensic investigative dogs were brought in on Friday to build on a search done the previous Saturday with search dogs from the FBI, Dettmer said.

Both uses of K-9s, she said, were for investigating Evelyn’s case as well as the unrelated murder of a 20-year-old Waterloo man.

Jesse Patchin was last seen on Oct. 1 and reported missing to the Waterloo Police Department on July 9.

Patchin’s body has not been located, but investigators believe it may be located in a rural area near Mason City.

James D. “J.D.” Raymond, 24, also of Waterloo, is charged with first-degree murder for Patchin’s death. Court documents allege he killed Patchin in Floyd County after the two argued over a drug deal around Oct. 1.

Raymond is being held in jail without bail, and is scheduled for arraignment next Monday.

His uncle, Charles L. Gallmeyer, 54, of Lime Springs, is also being held without bail in Floyd County jail as a material witness.

Dettmer said the FBI is not involved in the Patchin case, and that its assistance in the search one week ago was coincidental. The agency has assisted voluntarily in Evelyn’s case.

Dettmer and Lynch said resources remain devoted to finding Evelyn’s killer.

“(The investigation) is still very intense,” Dettmer said. “I can’t see that there’s been any let down.”

She said not all forensic testing has been completed in the case, which could produce future leads.

Lynch said an investigator from his office remains assigned full-time to investigating Evelyn’s murder with the DCI, which heads the investigation. A second officer is assigned as his backup.

Lynch added that K-9 assistance from the FBI and Star 1 Search and Technical Rescue have been without charge to the county.

FBI assists in local murder investigations

By Jennifer Meyer Staff writer

Three K-9 units from the FBI were in Charles City on Saturday to assist with two local murder investigations.

The units aided separate investigations into the deaths of of Evelyn Miller, 5, of Floyd, in July, and Jesse Patchin, 20, of Waterloo, last month. (excerpt from 11/8/05 article) see full article at Charles City Press. Posting is open.

Casey Frederiksen faces more charges

The federal government expects to file more charges against Casey Frederiksen, a Charles City man who lived with 5-year-old Evelyn Miller when she was murdered in July. (excerpt from 11/8/05) Click here for article at Des Moines Register. Comments on this are open.

Iowa DHS has set routine to investigate allegations of child abuse

The Iowa Department of Human Services takes several steps to determine if a child is in danger. Decisions are based on criteria outlined by the law. This is how the Department of Human Services handles an abuse report: (excerpt)
Entire Globe Gazette article is here.

My comments:

Somehow, the following ideas need to become incorporated into DHS and law enforcement standards of action.

1. Parental neglect - allowing a child to run the neighborhood or city is endangerment in my book because the child will soon become a target for sexual predators or a victim of any one of many other types of harmful or possibly deadly incidents.

2. Marijuana Use - Marijuana is not considered a dangerous drug by DHS but again I see it as a contributing factor to neglect and endangerment. Light pot users can probably function as a parent as can light drinkers. It only makes sense that if alcohol or marijuana is being abused; the parent(s) will almost without doubt become neglectful.

Proper evaluation of parental activities when situations of danger to a child arise could save many children and allow them to grow into productive adults. The alternative is to have them follow in the footsteps of their parents when they are grown, be physically or mentally damaged or to not survive at all.

3. Police Reporters - Police are mandatory reporters and I feel that children who are living in a house where a police emergency call has been made need immediate and special attention. The police need to contact DHS immediately if they feel that the child was in danger or if the child may become endangered by the parents' actions after the police have left. This is most often NOT done and was never, to my knowledge, done in Evelyn's case!

For more child abuse information see Prevent Child Abuse Iowa which has many links to sites about child abuse.

I have opened comments for this post. Your ideas are welcomed.

Family Response to Mr. Concannon's Letter

Dear Mr. Concannon,

I’m sorry that what you felt was a “sensational” report by WHO-TV was to many very factual.

In our system the press helps support public organizations like DHS through taxes on profits and the salaries of their employees. They need to make a profit and to grow. The best time to do that is when there is a good story to promote, sweeps week or not. They also have a responsibility to the public and to any organization which they are reporting on to be truthful, unbiased and fair in their representations. We feel that this was done in the case of the DHS report on WHO-TV.

I understand that the DHS has a difficult job in helping to keep children safe and has in place programs to enhance the delivery of services to the families that they serve.

You said, “I and the governor have reviewed these files and found the department acted appropriately. When prosecutors give permission, the record will be laid out for the public to see.” Actually, you have our permission to release the four unsealed reports to the public at this time and wait for the other reports when they become available. There is no need to not release them now since Evey is in no further danger.

Statistics don’t mean a great deal to our family right now. The only one that matters is our one dead daughter and grandchild, Evelyn, and personally making sure that your department and its employees acted logically and within procedures to keep her safe.

You further said, “We rely upon a broad partnership of parents, schools, churches, courts, and others, including the media, to help protect children and to support families. We welcome oversight. We also believe in telling the full story, not editing out factors that provide evidence on the strengths and positives of Iowa's child welfare system.”

Andy and Lindsey honestly tried to work with your agency and were frankly rebuffed in their efforts and discouraged by what they felt as a rejection of their appeals to your Charles City Office. Even after Evelyn’s death their reports of abuse were regarded by the Governor as having come from relatives who had an “axe to grind” and “whose credibility was suspect.” This flies in the face of your former statement.

We and the public want to be with, not against the DHS. As with organization, errors can be made by individuals that affect the lives of those served and damage the integrity and public respect of their organizations.

We hope to resolve those issues as we move forward.

Please be so kind as to forward this e-mail to your entire staff.

Sincerely,
The Christie Family
Richard, Linda, Andrew and Lindsey Christie

DHS Report on WHO-TV

WHO-TV Channel 13 aired a special two-part report on the DHS at 10 p.m. News from Des Moines.

Please write (e-mail) me if you have any ideas, comments or complaints about protecting our children under DHS's care. Responses will be private unless you state otherwise. I will review all suggestions and forward recommendations to DHS for further review.

Click here for Part 1
Click here for Part 2

How Evey's Case Relates to Jetseta's

(These are excerpts from the C.R. Gazette's e-edition article and was also in the print edition)
DHS: Children s welfare paramount
Jetseta’s siblings removed from home just after her murder
By Molly Rossiter The Gazette

CEDAR RAPIDS - After a child is murdered, the Department of Human Services will remove other children from a home only if social workers think the home may be unsafe.

This year, the Iowa Department of Human Services has removed brothers and a sister from the homes of two Iowa girls who were murdered Jetseta Gage, 10, of Cedar Rapids, and Evelyn Miller, 5, of Floyd.

DHS spokesman Roger Munns declined to discuss the removal of Jetseta's siblings Ian, 8, and Leonna, 3 from the Gage home at 448 Jacolyn Dr. NW in March shortly after Jetseta's murder.

But he did say that in general it is not standard procedure to remove a child from a home when a sibling has been murdered.

"They have to look at the individual circumstances: Who did the crime?" Munns said. "Authorities have to make the decision: Are the children safe? That is the No. 1 question."

"If the mother had something to do with the denial of critical care of the children, that may have affected safety," he said. "If the mother was completely outside the incident and was a caring mother, would the children be removed? No."

(Emphasis in bold is mine - Grandpa)

Kevin Concannon's Comments in Full

All Staff:

I want to alert you to a sensationalized story on Iowa's child welfare system that is set to air beginning tonight on WHO Television in Des Moines. This is part of the periodic "sweeps week" programming in which television news stations air sensational stories in a battle for market share, the success of which drives advertising revenue. WHO is using outdated numbers and unsupported allegations to draw extremely negative conclusions about our child welfare system.

WHO reports: "Iowa now ranks 3rd in the country on re-abuse."

This is based on three-year-old data showing that 11.2 percent of abused or neglected children were again abused or neglected within six months. The national standard is 6.1 percent. Iowa is still out of compliance, but because of all the attention on this measure, the gap is finally, and quickly, closing. The latest figures (June 2005) show that the re-abuse rate is 9.3 percent. The rate would be even lower if Iowa, likesome states, didn't count abuses that occur while a child's family is receiving services. We hold ourselves to a higher standard in this regard than many states.

(WHO reports:) "The DHS is not providing stable placements in foster care."

Again, the reporters get it only part right. The federal target is to avoid more than two placements within 12 months for 86.7 percent of cases. In Iowa, it's 89.1 percent. Iowa meets the goal. The federal review three years ago also required Iowa to show 90 percent compliance in a random selection of cases. Our 82 percent random sample rate did not pass. Thus Iowa "failed" the measure.

(WHO reports:) "Iowa is not investigating reports of child maltreatment in a timely manner."

Iowa has imposed on itself some of the nation's most demanding standards regarding the speed at which we must respond to an accepted intake report on child abuse. Iowa struggles to meet its own standards, but Iowa is far faster than most other states. We seek ways to do better and continue in our efforts to improve.

WHO implies that the department was somehow at fault for the death of two little girls. While the DHS is judicially prohibited from specifically defending itself and outlining its involvement in these cases, I and the governor have reviewed these files and found the department acted appropriately. When prosecutors give permission, the record will be laid out for the public to see.

(WHO reports:) "Child abuse is up."

It certainly is, especially since Iowa is dealing with the scourge of meth and sex abuse, and especially since the death of Shelby Duis six years ago caused Iowans to report more and more suspected cases of abuse. More reports lead to more investigations. The number of cases is deplorable but it is due to forces beyond control of the DHS.

WHO is apparently uninterested in other stories about Iowa's child welfare system, which was completely redesigned and officially launched last spring. We keep constant watch on all of the major result areas, including re-abuse. As the saying goes, things that get measured get done. I'm happy to say that in the last couple of years, all of the results indicators are moving in the right direction.

Here's what we are doing:

Requiring DHS services in all cases of founded abuse of a child under age six regardless of risk. Half of all abuse occurs on children in that age range.

Providing voluntary, free assistance to hundreds of families where there is a risk of abuse and who were never served before. These are families in which there was no abuse but risk is high, or there was abuse on an older child but risk of re-abuse is low.

Surrounding the most troubled families with intense "family team" meetings that draw on strengths and gain buy-in of plans to improve safety.

Supporting two pilot programs to reduce disparity of minority families in the system. Preliminary results are very encouraging.

Revamping the documentation system to make "paperwork" an integral part of best practice, not just an added chore.

Child welfare is one of government's most difficult jobs.

The sheer volume is daunting; there were over 37,000 reports of abuse or neglect last year. Each case involves tough decisions. The DHS and all of its partners, especially the courts and county prosecutors, are working together to do an ever better job. But government cannot do it alone. We rely upon a broad partnership of parents, schools, churches, courts, and others, including the media, to help protect children and to support families. We welcome oversight. We also believe in telling the full story, not editing out factors that provide evidence on the strengths and positives of Iowa's child welfare system.

Kevin Concannon

DHS director: TV report 'sensationalized'

Kevin Concannon says the story on child abuse cases uses outdated numbers.
By JENNIFER JACOBS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

Hours before a television news report blasting Iowa's child welfare system was scheduled to air Thursday night, the state's top child welfare official sent out thousands of e-mails criticizing portions of the report, saying it uses outdated numbers and unsupported allegations to draw negative conclusions.

Read the full article at the Des Moines Register.

I wonder what the full text of the message sent was. If you have information e-mail me. The DHS report continues on WHO tonight at 10.