Authorities in Rose Hill, Kansas, made a disturbing discovery earlier this month when they found a child’s remains buried in the backyard of a home. The investigation began after police responded to a report of an adult in mental distress at the residence, only to uncover a potential homicide case that had gone unnoticed for years.
Officers from the Rose Hill Police Department were called to the home on September 10, 2024, after receiving reports that an individual inside was threatening self-harm. Upon arrival, they found the adult barricaded in a room.
Chief Taylor Parlier of the Rose Hill Police Department confirmed that the police initially believed the individual had a firearm. However, after negotiating with the person, police determined they were unarmed and transported them to a local hospital for evaluation and care.
While on the scene, officers learned about a possible homicide that had taken place at the residence years earlier. The next day, on September 11, police returned to the home and, with the assistance of cadaver dogs from the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, discovered a child’s remains buried in the backyard. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, Chief Parlier noted that the body appeared to have been buried for several years.
A Kansas mother told local news station KSN that she was certain that the remains of the child were her daughter. Christa Helm mentioned that she provided DNA to investigators last Friday to help confirm the child’s identity.
According to Chief Parlier, the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center expects the autopsy results to be completed by mid-next week. He confirmed that Helm is the biological mother of three children who lived in the home. She is fully convinced that the remains are of one of her daughters, who, along with her two sisters, was adopted into the home five years ago.
Helm had relinquished custody of her three daughters in late 2018. She shared that she faced difficulties when her children were younger, spent time in jail, and struggled with substance abuse. By 2017, her children were removed from her care, and she became homeless. In 2019, the three children were adopted by the Rose Hill family. Helm said when she learned about the discovery of the child’s remains at the home last week, she felt devastated.
The discovery of the remains has left neighbors, particularly those with children, uneasy. Residents describe the area as a close-knit community where people help each other out, making it all the more disturbing that such an event could occur nearby. Long-time residents like Jenny Moore, who has lived in the neighborhood for seven years, find it unnerving that something like this could happen so close to home. Others, like Aubree Ringwall, also express their concern, noting how unsettling and frightening it is to realize that such things can happen so close by.
Chief Parlier confirmed that the police are treating the case as a homicide and have identified several potential suspects. The body is not linked to any missing person case. Chief Parlier emphasized that the investigation is still in its early stages, so they are not focusing solely on one individual. He also mentioned that he does not remember any child abuse reports associated with the residence and could not provide details about any prior police visits to the home.
The tragic discovery has raised many questions within the community as investigators continue their search for answers. The case has now drawn the attention of child welfare agencies and law enforcement across the region as they work to uncover the truth behind the years-old crime.