TYLER DASHER - 1 yo (11/2011) - Affton (SW of St Louis) MO

Mother accused of killing baby boy goes before judge with no attorney

(KMOV) -- The mother accused of beating her one-year-old baby to death went before a judge in Clayton Thursday morning.



Shelby Dasher, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder. She was in a tan jail jumpsuit, wearing handcuffs and leg shackles.



The judge asked her if she had an attorney and she shook her head, "no." The judge asked if she had money for an attorney an she shook her head"no." She was told an attorney would be appointed for her and referred her to the public defender's office.



Dasher's next court appearance is set for January 5th, 2012.



News 4 reporter Mark Schnyder was at the hearing and said Dasher did not appear to be happy or sad... almost indifferent to what was going on. She looked like she could have been up there contesting a parking ticket if you weren't aware of how serious the charges against her really are.

None of Dasher's friends or family we've talked to or seen in the past couple of days appeared in the gallery during the brief court appearance.
video: http://www.kmov.com/news/local/Mother-accused-of-killing-1-year-old-appears-in-court-134036823.html

Affton mom's boyfriend says there were no warning signs
Edgar Rivas says Shelby Dasher always patient with her son

By Kathleen Berger

Affton, MO (KSDK) - The boyfriend of accused child killer Shelby Dasher says reports of Dasher partying the late night hours before she killed Tyler are not true.

Edgar Rivas, 24, says Dasher was with him at his house with a couple of friends. He says Dasher was not a partier. He says he's never seen Dasher never doing drugs or drinking alcohol. Not that night and not any night.

Rivas says the night before Dasher beat 13-month old Tyler to death- they listened to music, played video games, and watched TV. He says Dasher left his place around 2:30 a.m.

"She had nothing to drink. Nothing. No drugs, no alcohol, nothing. Just hanging out," said Rivas.
Edgar Rivas says that's just Shelby. Rivas says what's not like Shelby Dasher is losing control with Tyler.
Police say Dasher admitted to beating 13-month-old Tyler to death because he would not stop crying and go back to sleep.

Rivas says that's not like her. He describes how patient Dasher was during Tyler's worst crying fits, such as when he was teething. He describes a devoted mother who showed no major signs of frustration.

"When she'd feed him and he's throwing his food, she'd take a deep breath," said Rivas.

Rivas says he never saw warning signs because he says there were none. Rivas said Tyler was loved, by him too.

"It's hard to look at his picture, and look into those blue eyes, and not be able to see him. Not see see him smile, laugh, tumble when he tries to walk. It just hurts," said Rivas.

What hurts is everything that happened the morning Tyler was discovered dead. All starting with a text from Shelby Dasher after 10 a.m.

"She texted me in the morning, saying. 'Good morning. What are you guys doing?'" said Rivas.

Then he called her.

"She did mention to me: Tyler's still sleeping. When she told me that, I thought it was unusual because Tyler would have been up already, said Rivas. "After she mentioned that he was still sleeping, she was like, "Well, I'm going to cook breakfast. Would you like to come over for breakfast?"

So Rivas left his house for Dasher's. And when he got there, Rivas said he would check on Tyler. Rivas says Dasher told him not to, that she would do it.

"That's when she came outside screaming, 'Where's my baby, where's my baby,'" said Rivas.

Rivas said he searched frantically before calling 911.

"That's when I broke down and told the dispatcher, 'Hold on, let me get a second to myself to get myself together,'" said Rivas.

Rivas was taken to police headquarters for questioning, and never learned about what happened to Tyler, never learned that Dasher was charged with 2nd degree murder, until he was watching the news after police released him the next day.

Rivas says he wants to see Dasher now. He wants answers.

"Why? Why did you do this? What made this so different from any other day? There's just a lot of questions that haven't been answered," he said.

One thing that moved Rivas to tears: Rivas says when Dasher invited him over that morning, he walked. He says he cut through the cemetery, apparently walking right by Tyler's body, and says he never even knew it.

Tyler's body was later found by people walking dogs.

Video:http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/286535/3/Accused-child-killers-boyfriend-speaks-out

I have one possibility as to the question why that Rivas keeps asking.
Children are very demanding and a mother needs to get a decent nights sleep. Staying up til 2.30am playing games and expecting to be on your game when your child wakes up 4 hours later is just plain dumb. I think she was over-tired and lost her rag completely. So Mom's out there if you're reading - get enough sleep!!!!! Your child comes first!!!!

Hey Kiwi...the 20 minute I posted upstream re: Rivas...broke my heart when he broke down talking about undeknownst to him he walked right by the baby in the cemetary! Another tragic and senseless death of another innocent.

Tyler Dasher's clothing, crib to be donated

note and several stuffed animals were left beneath a tree next to New St. Marcus Cemetary on Wednesday, November 16, 2011, near where the body of Tyler Dasher, 1, was found on Tuesday. Photo by Johnny Andrews, jandrews@post-dispatch.com

AFFTON • Christine Dasher looked at the bottles, formula, diapers, crib, clothing, toys and other things that belonged to her 1-year-old grandson, Tyler, and wondered what to do with them now that he was gone.

Dasher's daughter, Shelby Dasher, 20, admitted to police that she had beaten Tyler to death Tuesday. Since then, some public attention has been focused on services that are available from the St. Louis Crisis Nursery for overwhelmed parents.

"When I saw them on the news, I thought, 'That's who we're going to deal with right there,'" said Christine Dasher, whose daughter and grandson lived with her in the Affton area. "If I can give back in any way I can, then I'm going to do so through the Crisis Nursery."

Tyler's family and their friends started a memorial fund at U.S. Bank to raise money for a headstone. Someone has since donated one, so money raised now will be donated to the Crisis Nursery and other agencies that support mothers and babies, said Shirley Ellington, Tyler's paternal grandmother.

News of the donations from the grieving grandmothers touched the nonprofit's executive director, DiAnne Mueller.

"Hopefully, it will bring some peace to that extended family who are in such a horrible situation to know that other children are going to be a little happier because they are so thoughtful," Mueller said. "In their incredible grief, the fact that they are able to do something so thoughtful is amazing to me."

SEEING A NEED

The Junior League of St. Louis and the Coalition of 100 Black Women partnered 25 years ago to form the Crisis Nursery. It opened with seven beds in the former Forest Park Hospital, serving children up to 6 years old.

Now, the nonprofit works with SSM Healthcare and has five nurseries across the region, plus six outreach centers where social workers offer referrals and parenting classes. The age limit has been raised to 12.

The nurseries can serve 47 children, who usually are back out within 48 hours, Mueller said. About 60 percent of calls turn into admissions. The rest are from people who just need to talk.

"Sometimes it's in the middle of the night and they're at their wit's end with no friends or family to call, and we talk them through what's going on," Mueller said. Professionals assess whether police intervention is needed.

"In the course of a 10-minute call, they can go from being completely despondent and hopeless to, 'OK, we're going to get through this. Things will get better and I can be a good parent,'" Mueller noted.

The center has specific criteria to accept children. "There has to be a crisis; we're not a day-care center," Mueller said. "And there is nobody in their world, their neighborhoods or support systems that will help them." For those who qualify, the center will send a taxi, if necessary.

Homelessness or hospitalizations of parents sometimes send children for care, Mueller said. "But the No. 1 reason is overwhelming parental stress, and they're at a breaking point." Shelby Dasher told St. Louis County police that she repeatedly struck Tyler on the head and body after she could not get him to stay quiet in his crib, according to court documents. Authorities say she hid his body in the bushes near New St. Marcus Cemetery, not far from home, and called police to report him missing. A massive search followed, until passers-by found the body.

NURSERY LIFE

Children arriving at a Crisis Nursery are fed, bathed, given a physical exam and provided any medications required. They also get to choose a bed and pajamas. "What's surprising is that many of these kids have never worn pajamas," Mueller said.

A somber mood hung over staff members and volunteers when a reporter visited one of the nurseries Friday. Some whispered about Tyler, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"It makes us remember why we're here," said Lisa Bicket, the program director. "Every time that phone rings, it reminds you of the severity of those situations."

Volunteer Mildred Newton, 79, smiled at children dressed up in Snow White and Superman costumes. Newton has volunteered four days a week for nearly five years, taking a bus to get there. She has no children of her own but loves being "grandma" to babies she holds and feeds.

Tyler was on her mind, too. "It's such a shame," said Newton, who wondered if Shelby Dasher "ever knew about this place."

The Crisis Nursery regularly distributes fliers and posters in Laundromats, cash-checking centers, food pantries and clinics, trying to reach low-income families that Mueller said are at the highest risk for child abuse.

The organization also goes door-to-door in some neighborhoods, leaving information and perhaps diapers, food and other supplies to families in need. It makes an extra effort in areas hit by an incident like Tyler's death.

"It's our way of having some kind of response to the tragedy that's occurred and being available to the community members who are most touched by situations like this," Mueller explained.

On Monday, a group will assemble at St. Mark's Catholic Church, 8300 Morganford Road, before fanning out with pamphlets and supplies. About an hour later, mourners will file into the same church for Tyler's funeral.



Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/tyler-dasher-s-clothing-crib-to-be-donated/article_8260342f-ed51-5a9b-924b-8feab6c2228a.html#ixzz1eJfvzaYx

kiwimom wrote:I have one possibility as to the question why that Rivas keeps asking.
Children are very demanding and a mother needs to get a decent nights sleep. Staying up til 2.30am playing games and expecting to be on your game when your child wakes up 4 hours later is just plain dumb. I think she was over-tired and lost her rag completely. So Mom's out there if you're reading - get enough sleep!!!!! Your child comes first!!!!

Also, Shelby lived with her mother so why in the world didn't she just wake her mom up and tell her she couldn't take the baby crying anymore. I'm sure the mother would have gladly taken care of Tyler. I guess the grandmother didn't hear the him screaming and crying or she probably would have intervened.

OP Comment: This is heart breaking! So wanted to warn you in case you don't want to watch, especially today :((( ...such a little casket and the two men were so gentle lifting into the back of the hearse. Another life gone too soon.

Funeral for murdered Affton toddler Tyler Dasher

Affton, MO (KSDK) - Tyler Dasher, the Affton toddler who was murdered last week and found dumped in a wooded area, less than a mile from his home, was laid to rest Monday.

The visitation and funeral for the 13-month-old took place at St. Mark Parish in south St. Louis County.

Tyler's mother, 20-year-old Shelby Dasher, is in jail, charged with second-degree murder. Police say Dasher confessed to repeatedly hitting Tyler because he would not stop crying and go back to bed.

Detectives said she dumped Tyler's body near St. Marcus Cemetery.

Dasher appeared in court on Thursday. She was assigned a public defender and the judge, submitted a not guilty plea on her behalf.

Meanwhile, a memorial fund in Tyler's name has been established at any U.S

Video at : http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/286910/3/Funeral-for-murdered-Affton-toddler-Tyler-Dasher

Saint Louis - Missouri Police say Shelby Dasher was arrested less than 16 hours after she reported her 13-month-old son missing. The child's tiny body was found near a cemetery about a mile from his home.

The mother now being held on $500,000 cash bond, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of her 13-month-old son Tyler Dasher. Relatives and neighbors describe the child as a wonderful baby and a beautiful boy.
The New York Daily News reports that when 21-year-old Shelby Dasher called police in the morning to report to them that her son was missing, she told them that she'd been out late, then overslept and when she went to find him he was gone from his crib. But it wasn't long before people in the neighborhood walking their dog found Tyler's body on a busy road near a cemetery about a mile from the Tyler home.
St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch says once she was taken into custody, Shelby Dasher admitted that she repeatedly hit her son because he was crying and "wouldn't lay down, wouldn't go back to sleep." He said she also told police she had disposed of her son's body. McCullough responds to the crime,

"Raising children can be frustrating. There are a myriad of ways to handle that. This isn't one of them."

The Huffington Post reports that police say Dasher lived in a small frame home in a working-class neighborhood of Affton, Missouri with her mother and the child. She and the child's father live apart.
A long, wide area near the cemetery where Tyler's body was found was cordoned off by police. A cluster of young adults gathered nearby crying and hugging as they watched officers mill around the scene.
Neighbors describe the area where the Dashers live as quiet. But several said they knew little about Dasher or her son because the family had only moved into their rented home a little over a year ago.
Neighbor Rick Angeles lives across the street with his wife and 3-year old son.

"Everybody here kind of knows each other, but not them."

He said he used to see a lot of young people going in and out of the Dasher home frequently, but never saw anything there that concerned him.


Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/315687#ixzz1frSOMw2X

FENTON • Tears filled Amy Massey's eyes today
as she looked at a picture of her nephew, Tyler Dasher, staring
into the face of a chimpanzee at the St. Louis Zoo.

"They had a stare-off for at least 20 minutes," she recalled
during a fundraiser inside MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery. The
funds will be used to buy a memorial for Tyler at the zoo.

In his 13 months of life, Tyler had been too the zoo seven
times. Everytime they went, the Monkey House was a must, Massey said.

Tyler Dasher's mother, Shelby Dasher, 20, was charged with
second-degree murder last month after Tyler's body was found in a
wooded area near the River Des Peres. She had reported the child
missing, but later told police that she beat the child because he
would not stop crying in his crib on Nov. 15.

Massey's son works at the ice cream shop, whose manager, Lara
Crail, decided to donate a portion of the store's proceeds towards
the purchase of a memorial at the zoo. Bricks at the St. Louis Zoo
start at $500. Benches are $10,000.

"I knew the family wanted to get a memorial for him at the zoo,
but it costs too much, and they don't have time to (raise the
money)," Crail said. "Everybody knew the story and there has been
nothing positive for the family to look forward to."

Pink and green balloons floated in the ice cream shop and a
flier with a picture of Tyler smiling from his stroller sat on each
table. Other pictures of Tyler hung from a poster board nearby.

In one, chocolate cake and white frosting covered his face and
along with a bib that read, "Onederful."

The fundraiser will run until 11 p.m. tonight at both locations:
8853 Ladue Road in Ladue and 699 Gravois Bluffs Boulevard in
Fenton. The stores are also accepting donations.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/fundraiser-for-murdered-st-louis-county-toddler-at-ice-cream/article_48bb0974-2805-11e1-9805-0019bb30f31a.html#ixzz1glFONqY2

Shelby Dasher is due in court today after several months of no new
updates in this sad and gruesome case. The Missouri mother was
reportedly inspired by the disappearance of baby Lisa Irwin when she
reported her child missing. However, baby Tyler Dasher was already dead
and discarded, allegedly by her own hands. What will happen in court
today?
Shelby
Dasher will begin a preliminary hearing this morning in Missouri at
around 10:00 a.m. The young mother confessed to beating her son to death
and purposely misleading investigators in what was a very brief
investigation. One-year-old Tyler Dasher was beaten to death with
Shelby's bare hands because he wouldn't shut up and go to sleep.
After
Shelby beat her own baby to death, she carried him to a nearby cemetery
and discarded his body in the brush. Later that morning, presumably
after she got her much-needed sleep, she reported the child missing and
gave the same exact details as given by Deborah Bradley and Jeremy Irwin
when baby Lisa Irwin vanished.
http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981081870

I just don't get it. How could a mother do this? I will never get it.

I am filled with joy just by looking at my babies sleep. Interacting with them and watching them grow is a fulfilling endeavor.

CLAYTON • A grand jury voted Wednesday that there is
probable cause to send Shelby Dasher to trial for child abuse and
second-degree murder for the death of her 13-month-old son, Tyler.

Dasher, 20, has been assigned to Division 9 in St. Louis
county. A preliminary hearing set for today has been cancelled. Dasher's
attorney, Tara Crane, has entered a not guilty plea on her behalf and
waived her client's arraignment.

A scheduling conference has now been set for April 2.

Dasher stands accused of beating the toddler to death
because he would not stop crying in his crib on Nov. 15. She then faked
his abduction and passersby found his body near a cemetery not far from
her home in Affton, according to authorities.

The grand jury added the charge of child abuse to the
indictment, which states, "Dasher knowingly inflicted cruel and inhuman
punishment upon Tyler by repeatedly striking him about the head and body
with her fist and Tyler died as a result of the injuries sustained from
this conduct."

"Facts of the case also supported the charging of abuse
of a child in addition to murder in the second," said J.D. Evans, first
assistant prosecuting attorney. "Sometimes we only charge an initial
charge and we add additional charges if we believe they are warranted.
Under these circumstances, after a review of the case, the attorney on
this case felt this charge was also warranted."

The prosecuting attorney's office can file additional
charges after an indictment, but Evans said that is unlikely at this point.

"If we get more information, we may go back to a grand
jury to seek more charges, but at this time, we don't see anything that
makes us want to do that," he said.

Crane filed a motion Monday to have Dasher's murder
charge thrown out or her $500,000 cash-only bail reduced, citing delays
in bringing Dasher to trial. Now that the case has moved forward, the
trial court must decide whether to grant the bail motion.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/shelby-dasher-indicted-in-murder-of--month-old-son/article_5bbc5686-63b0-11e1-8988-001a4bcf6878.html#ixzz1nvcgxTha