Weston couple charged in death of 5-year-old daughter

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WESTON, Wis. (AP) — A Weston couple is accused in the death of their 5-year-old daughter.

A complaint filed Wednesday charges Sumitra Stolp, 36, the child’s mother, with first-degree reckless homicide, neglecting a child, chronic neglect of a child, and two counts of obstructing an officer. Her husband, Johnathan Stolp, 40, is charged with neglecting a child, chronically neglecting a child and obstructing an officer.

The investigation into the child’s death began Aug. 15 after she was brought to an area hospital with a skull fracture and brain bleed, along with the presence of alcohol and elevated levels of Tylenol in her system.

Sumitra Stolp initially gave investigators three versions of what happened, police said. She first said the child fell off the monkey bars, then said she threw herself off a slide and lastly explained that the child was in a chair and rocked backward, falling over.

During a follow-up interview with police, Stolp said she was getting out a chair while holding the girl and tripped and fell on her. The mother said her daughter started to convulse, according to court documents.

A medical expert said the child had trauma to both sides of the head and the injury appeared to be non-accidental. She was also given medication that was more than six times the recommended dose for a child her weight, the complaint said. The couple said the child had a cough.