John Snyder II and Katherine Snyder former Springship Township, Ohio couple arrested in the 2016 murder of adopted child, Adam Snyder along with abuse of four other children.
An Ohio mother and father were arrested this week after being indicted on 26 charges related to the 2016 death of an adopted child along with the abuse of four other children.
John Snyder II, 51, and Katherine Snyder, 51, are accused of purposely causing the death of their adopted child, 8-year-old Adam Snyder, around Oct. 5, 2016, according to court records from the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas.
The adopted child died from blunt force trauma to the head, according to Hamilton County, OH., Assistant Prosecutor Amy Clausing.
Hamilton County coroner Dr Gretel Stephens said that Adam, one of five children the Snyder’s adopted, suffered the trauma that killed him on October 5, 2016, WXIX reported. She added that ‘widespread acute bronchopneumonia’ was a contributing factor and that the death was a homicide.
‘Adam’s death occurred within 24 hours of his prior release from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where he had spent the majority of the day on Oct. 4, 2016,’ 2019 court documents read.
DISTURBING ALLEGATIONS OUT OF SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP: @FOX19 NOW has learned today that two parents, John Snyder II and Katherine Snyder, are accused of purposely causing the death of a child under the age of 13.
We’re told the child died from blunt force trauma to the head. pic.twitter.com/BHwTdgBmFG— Jessica Schmidt (@JSchmidtTV) September 27, 2022
Couple sought to dispute prior coroner findings
The Snyders, who lived in Springfield Township, Ohio, at the time of the alleged abuse, were arrested at their home in Plattsburgh, New York, WCAX reported.
The Snyders have tried several times to have the manner of Adam’s death changed after ‘numerous experts’ they hired disagreed with the coroner’s office report. Those attempts were rejected in 2019 and 2020, according to WXIX.
Clausing said that the Snyders other four adopted children and one biological child were found severely malnourished and showed signs of physical abuse.
The children suffered the alleged abuse over the course of nearly two years. The earliest documented date is New Year’s Eve 2014, with the last being Oct. 5, 2016, charging documents read.
The Hamilton County Department of Jobs and Family Services filed for permanent custody of the surviving children in 2017. Clausing said information leading to the indictments came from those surviving children.
The Snyders have been charged with four counts of aggravated murder, four counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, and 14 counts of endangering children. They’re being held at the Clinton County Jail and are considering whether to fight extradition to Ohio.
The couple said they wanted to talk with their attorney before deciding whether or not to fight extradition back to Hamilton County, according to a chief clerk with the Clinton County Court.
In New York, defendants have up to 90 days to determine if they want to fight the extradition.
John and Katherine are scheduled to appear back in court on Oct. 27.
