Daycare worker 'threw 3-year-old Autumn to the ground with such force she killed her - all because the little girl didn't want to take her coat off'

Orange City toddler, Autumn Elgersma, 3, died on Thursday from severe brain trauma and a fractured skull



Rochelle Sapp, 33, who runs the in-home daycare centre at her home, admitted to police she threw the girl to the ground after she refused to remove her coat

She first told the mother that Autumn had fallen down the stairs

Sapp has been charged in the girl's death

Tragic: Autumn Elgersma, 3, died from head injuries after being 'thrown to the floor' by a woman running a daycare centre

A woman running a daycare centre in Iowa has been charged in the death of a 3-year-old girl who she ‘threw to the ground’ because she refused to take off her coat.



The Orange City toddler, Autumn Elgersma, daughter of Phillip and Jennifer Elgersma, died on Thursday from her head injuries after two days in hospital.



The child was injured in the home of Rochelle Lynn Sapp, 33, who runs a daycare centre at her home in 706 10th Street SE, in eastern Orange City, according to police.

Court documents say Sapp called the girl’s mother shortly after 9am and told her Autumn had fallen down the stairs.



Mrs Elgersma picked up her daughter immediately and brought her to the Orange City hospital where she was diagnosed with a head injury, according to KTIV.

The girl was airlifted to the Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls in North Dakota where doctors discovered the child suffered a fractured skull and brain trauma.



Admitted: Rochelle Lynn Sapp, 33, who runs a daycare centre in Orange City, Iowa, told police she got angry when Autumn refused to remove her coat

Devastated: Autumn's parents, Phillip and Jennifer Elgersma, lost their little girl after dropping her off at a daycare centre

Deadly daycare: Autumn was injured in the home of Rochelle Sapp, 33, who runs a daycare centre at 706 10th Street SE, in eastern Orange City

Authorities say Autumn died two days later.

According to Orange City Police Chief, Jim Pottebaum, Sapp later admitted that she threw the girl to the floor after she refused to take off her coat.

Sapp was originally charged with Willful Injury and Child Endangerment Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.



Chief Pottebaum said those charges will be amended because of the child's death.

'Accident': Sapp told Autumn's mother, Jennifer Elgersma initially that the girl had fallen down the stairs

Huge loss: The little girl's parents said Autumn was 'a joy in our lives'

Autumn's parents issued a statement Friday afternoon saying the family was deeply saddened by the loss of their little girl.

‘Autumn was a joy in our lives and we are blessed to have called her ours. We take comfort in the fact that she is now with her Savior, Jesus Christ.’

