A public farewell was held Friday to say goodbye to baby Anthony who died at only seven-months-old Saturday from malnutrition.

“We started this as a healing farewell service,” said Todd Meierhoff, President of Meierhoffer Funeral Home and Crematory. “The family was adamant that we open this up.”

Around two dozen people turned out for the ceremony to say goodbye to baby Anthony.

His mother, 22-year-old Macayla Jo Armstrong of St Joseph has been charged with abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death, a class A felony.

Meierhoffer Funeral Home and members of the public have assisted the family with burial costs.

“We knew immediately not only from a staff but as an organization that this was a circumstance that was very unusual and we wanted to help this family,” said Meierhoffer. “There’s an extended family which people have to understand there are grandparents there’s aunts and uncles loving people that love this child and like all of us, when there is a death or a disaster or a tragedy we try to come together and we try to help each other, unfortunately this was a situations that occurred and our family and organization wanted to help out to assist this family under the circumstances.”

Family members, firefighters and several members of the public attended the ceremony.

One of the individuals in attendance was Ruth Costello, owner of Grace House – a nonprofit store located at 2638 Lafayette Street in St. Joseph that assists individuals who can’t afford to purchase many of their own items with necessities at no cost.

“The mom had been to the store about a year ago,” Costello said. “I didn’t know what happened. The grandparents came in the day before yesterday looking for clothing to burry him in so we were blessed that we had new stuff that had not been used. New blankets to wrap him in, and a little hat that they fell in love with. It was like you have to come. You know, he matters and the fact that god gave him life I think we should honor that.”

Costello said it’s not just a loss for the family, but for the entire community.

“The community needs to realize that when a child is born he’s part of us and we’ve lost somebody,” she said. “We don’t know what he could have become we don’t know who he would have married, what he would have done in school, all we can do is thank god that he’s in heaven.”

Meierhoffer said grief counseling is being provided.

“we have licensed councilors for death and grief,” he said. “It’s open to the public anyone who needs assistance can simply call us and there’s no charge for that.”

Baby Anthony is survived by a Sister, grandparents and several aunts and uncles.

His mother, Macayla is scheduled for a probable cause hearing January 9, if found guilty she could get a minimum sentence of 10-years in prison or a max of 30-to-life.

(Release from Mosaic Life Care)
Saint Joseph, MO — Recent articles have examined Mosaic’s ownership of Northwest Financial Services and its debt collection process. Specifically, the articles look at examples of individuals who had their wages garnished due to overdue medical debt.

“The issues of medical debt and wage garnishment are very serious,” said Tama Wagner, Chief Brand Officer for Mosaic Life Care. “We are currently reviewing both our billing and collection practices to find solutions that benefit our community without sacrificing the quality of care.”

Mosaic has a multitude of resources available for families in need, as shown through the $65 million in charity care Mosaic has contributed over the past five years. Additionally, Mosaic has provided approximately $155 million in uncompensated or unreimbursed care, bringing the total amount to $215 million in community care to families in our community. Mosaic is asking that anyone who is having trouble paying a medical bill contact Mosaic to learn more about financial assistance.

Wage garnishment is only a last resort of the debt collection process. Mosaic handles over 1,000,000 accounts each year. Less than 1.5% of these accounts ever end in garnishment. These accounts are an average of 800 days old. Moreover, patients have received an average of 26 calls and 6 letters before legal action is taken.

For more information on financial assistance or how Mosaic is addressing these issues, please visit https://www.mymosaiclifecare.org/ContactUS. You may also reach us at 816-271-6000.

A Platte City man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for creating child pornography involving a 16-year-old girl after he plied her with drugs and alcohol.

30–year-old Bruce Rothrock received the sentence in Platte County Circuit Court on December 18 after earlier pleading guilty to statutory rape, statutory sodomy, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, and distributing a controlled substance to a minor.

Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said, “This defendant groomed and manipulated his victim for months. He then used drugs and alcohol to facilitate his crimes. He is a predator in the truest sense of the word, and he is going right where he belongs.”

Rothrock met the victim when the two worked together at a local business. She became part of a group of young people, all in their teens and early twenties, who would “hang out” at then-29-year-old Rothrock’s residence. While she was there, Rothrock would give her drugs and alcohol.

The victim testified that in the beginning, Rothrock was like a “big brother.” Soon, Rothrock began complementing the victim’s appearance and telling her that boys her own age were not good enough for her. After a few months, the relationship turned sexual, and Rothrock took intimate pictures of the victim.

The victim’s mother discovered the inappropriate pictures on the victim’s cell phone and reported them to the police. The ensuing investigation revealed that Rothrock had been having sex with the child victim for some time.

In tearful testimony at sentencing, the victim’s mother described how her daughter had changed while she was secretly involved with Rothrock. Prior to knowing Rothrock, the victim had been a successful student involved in many clubs and activities. After she began associating with Rothrock, the victim’s grades took a nosedive, and she withdrew from her family and activities.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Chris Seufert argued for a 13-year sentence, citing the impact of the crimes on the victim as well as Rothrock’s discharge from the Marines for possession of cocaine. Seufert also pointed out that Rothrock had an estranged wife and lived with another woman when he began to seduce the victim.

Criminal defense attorney Paul Morrison argued for probation and time served.

Judge James Van Amburg ultimately sentenced Rothrock to 12 years in prison for his crimes.

Zahnd said, “Judge Van Amburg sent a message with this sentence. In Platte County, we have no tolerance for those who sexually exploit our children”

This case investigated by the Platte City Police Department with assistance from the Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.

St Joseph police shortly after noon Friday received a report of shots fired in the 2300 block of Faraon. It turned out to be an unfounded report, but officials did take the precaution of locking down Edison Elementary School.

Sergeant Keith Dudley of the St Joseph Police Department says officers were dispatched to the area, and spoke with the person who made the initial report. The called indicated hearing five shots fired. But Dudley says after speaking with the caller, and checking the neighborhood, they found no evidence shots were fired.

The “all clear” was given within an hour of the initial lockdown order.

A retiree from Mead Corporation won the $10,000 grand prize of the Shop St Joseph promotion.

The St Joseph Chamber of Commerce introduced Stanley Randall and his granddaughter Jordyn to reporters at the Apple Market Store at 2300 Mitchell, where he received the winning ticket.

Mr Randall says he wound up with dozens of tickets.

“Probably 50 or 75,” he said. “This particular time, that I got these tickets, one of them had a bend in it, and I said ‘see you ruined the tickets, now I’ll never win.”

But he did win. Randally says when he read the winning numbers, he still didn’t believe he’d won, so he called up a local news station and they read him the numbers. He did not tell the rest of his family right away.

“No, actually I figured they’d be so excited they wouldn’t sleep all night, and they had to work this morning, so I didn’t tell them,” Randall said. “Actually right before I came over here, my daughter and one of my granddaughters called and gave me heck for not telling them.”

Randall has three kids, and, in his words, “God only knows how many grandkids.” Upon further thought, he came up with the number of 15 grandkids. He says he’ll buy extra gifts for his family with the money he won.

Mr. Randall worked at Mead from 1967 to 2002 when he became disabled and retired.

The photograph above is courtesy of the St Joseph Chamber of Commerce. Pictured, left to right, are Mike Decker (Apple Market) in the rear, granddaughter Jordyn Randall, winner Stanley Randall, Steve Postalwaite (Apple Market Store Manager) and Todd Euler (Apple Market).

The Chamber is planning to release the “Second Chance” winning ticket numbers later today.