Kansas Authorities Discover Child’s Remains in Backyard, Local Mother Believes They Are Her Missing Daughter

Authorities in Kansas have discovered the remains of a child in a backyard, following a response to a mental health crisis at a residence earlier this month. A local woman now believes the remains are those of her young daughter, who had been living at the home.

On September 10, officers from the Rose Hill Police Department were dispatched to a home in Rose Hill, Kansas, after receiving reports of a resident allegedly threatening self-harm. According to a statement by Police Chief Taylor Parlier, the individuals had barricaded themselves inside a room, and it was initially believed they were armed.

However, police later determined the person did not have a firearm and safely transported them to a local hospital for treatment. While at the residence, officers became aware of a potential homicide that had taken place in the past, according to the police statement. The following day, on September 11, investigators uncovered the remains of what was described as “a youth” in the home’s backyard.

Chief Parlier stated that the state of decomposition suggested the remains had likely been there for “several years.” Shortly after the discovery, a local woman, Christa Helm, came forward, claiming that the remains likely belonged to one of her biological children, who had lived in the home. Speaking to KSN, Helm said she is convinced the remains are those of her daughter, Natalie, who, along with her two siblings, had been adopted by the residents of the home after Helm lost custody in 2019 due to struggles with substance abuse.

Helm, who launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for legal expenses to regain custody of her two surviving children, told KSN, “I know it’s her.” She added that she had given up custody of her children five years ago, with the belief that they were being cared for by the residents at the Rose Hill home. However, Chief Parlier emphasized that the identity of the deceased child has not yet been confirmed, and the investigation is ongoing.

Parlier also confirmed that Helm had three biological children living in the residence, although the timeline of when she lost her parental rights remains unclear. The chief did not provide further details regarding the adoption but noted that authorities are awaiting postmortem results, which are expected by the end of the week. These results will provide crucial information on the victim’s identity, cause of death, and time of death.

At present, there are no active missing persons cases in the area that authorities believe are connected to the remains. Chief Parlier stated that identifying the remains is the key to moving the investigation forward. “Until we get the forensic identification of the remains, our investigation will remain broad,” Parlier said. “Once we can identify the person who had been buried, we will have a clearer path forward in our investigation.” As the community awaits further developments, the tragic discovery has left many unanswered questions about the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.