NAPA, Calif. (KPIX) — A California woman and her boyfriend have been charged with killing her three-year-old daughter.
According to authorities, Sara Krueger Napa told police they kept the girl’s body in a suitcase in a freezer for three days. She said they later placed the body on a bed before fleeing.
Napa and Ryan Scott Warner face two charges in the death of Kayleigh Slusher: murder and assault on a child.
Contrary to initial police reports, none of the charges filed Tuesday refer to sex abuse. but police have not ruled out filing other charges in the future, as the investigation continues.
“Follow up also indicated the victim appeared to have been sexually assaulted,” Lt. Debbie Peecook with the Napa Police Department said.
Peecook said police discovered the child’s body the child’s body on the couple’s bed in their Royal Gardens apartment around 1 p.m. Saturday after a neighbor asked police to check on the child.
“I would just say, whether you have children, or grandchildren of whatever age, hold them a little tighter tonight. Life is precious,” Napa County District Attorney Gary Lieberstein said.
Napa and Warner did not enter pleas in court Tuesday, but waived their right to a preliminary hearing.
The couple are scheduled to be arraigned and possibly enter pleas on Feb. 25. If convicted, they could spend the rest of their lives in prison.
