Missouri couple charged in death of malnourished 4-year-old found with injuries all over his body

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. (TCD) -- Police arrested a mother and her boyfriend after a 4-year-old boy died last week with signs of malnourishment and several injuries.

According to a news release from the Fredericktown Police Department, on Wednesday, March 27, shortly before 1 a.m., officers responded to Madison Medical Center in reference to "suspicious circumstances of an unresponsive juvenile." Medical staff informed responding officers that the child was dead and "showed evidence of abuse or neglect."

The victim appeared to be malnourished, and an officer noticed bruises, abrasions, and lacerations all over his body, KMOV-TV reports. 

Authorities apprehended the mother, Rylee Fararro, at the medical facility. Officers also located the mother’s boyfriend, Hayden Rosener, and brought him in for questioning.

According to KSDK-TV, Rosener and Fararro shared custody of the child. On the night of the boy’s death, Rosener allegedly brought the victim to Fararro unresponsive, and she rushed him to the hospital as Rosener stayed behind.

Fararro reportedly told officials she works approximately 60 hours a week, and Rosener served as the primary caregiver to the child. KSDK reports that Fararro said she began seeing suspicious marks and bruises on her son when Rosener started caring for the boy.

Fararro reportedly showed investigators photos of the boy’s bruises and marks. Fararro suspected Rosener had been abusing the victim but didn’t report it to law enforcement. The mother also said her boyfriend tried to discourage her from taking her son to the hospital, KSDK reports.

When police confronted Fararro about the boy’s apparent malnourishment, she reportedly said she noticed her son getting thinner, but Rosener believed it was normal.

During an interview, Rosener reportedly told officers the victim often had temper tantrums. He also said the young boy mentioned he was experiencing stomachaches and issues defecating.

Rosener said the victim had a temper tantrum on March 26 and threw himself in the bathroom. As a result, the boy allegedly hit his head against the edge of the toilet, causing his previous ear and nose injuries to reopen, according to KSDK.

Rosener reportedly told officers the victim often fell and injured himself. He allegedly said he had "gone too far" during one instance, but Rosener didn’t provide further details.

According to KMOV, Fararro and Rosener admitted to authorities that they were opioid addicts and often used drugs in the apartment where the victim lived. A probable cause statement obtained by the news source says officers searched the home and observed "poor living conditions and the strong odor of urine, drug paraphernalia, and a sufficient amount of food supply."

Officers reportedly found unprescribed ground-up oxycodone in Rosener’s possession as he was changing into his jail uniform.

Fararro and Rosener face charges of abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death. Rosener was also charged with possession of a controlled substance. Rosener’s bond was set at $1 million, while Fararro’s was set at $500,000.

Several months before the boy’s death, in November 2023, the Missouri Department of Social Services Children’s Division went to the suspects’ home, and a case worker recommended that the boy not be left alone with Rosener due to his alleged drug use and unpredictable conduct, according to KSDK.

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