On August 2, 2022, the children's mother Sally Arellano was arrested for domestic violence battery, and her boyfriend Edward "Two Feathers" Steele assumed care of her two sons (ages 1 and 2) at a hotel in Ukiah, California. During the early morning hours of August 3, 2022, Steele abandoned both children near railroad tracks in the 300 block of Brush Street. A concerned citizen found the 2-year-old suffering from heat-related symptoms and called 911. Authorities searching the area then discovered the 1-year-old deceased nearby. Steele was subsequently arrested and charged with murder. He was also charged with a violation of post-release community supervision and held without bail in Mendocino County Jail.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
The news article explicitly states: "During the morning of 08-03-2022 Steele left the children unattended near the railroad tracks near the 300 block of Brush Street in Ukiah." Two very young children (ages 1 and 2) were left without supervision, fitting the definition of inappropriate supervision/abandonment.
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
The news article states that the 2-year-old sibling was found near railroad tracks "suffering from heat related symptoms" and the 1-year-old was "found deceased" nearby, indicating exposure to outdoor heat. Deputies said "Steele left the children unattended near the railroad tracks near the 300 block of Brush Street in Ukiah" during the morning hours, and the 2-year-old had a "life-threatening medical emergency" consistent with heat exposure.
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
The news article identifies Edward "Two Feathers" Steele as the mother's boyfriend who was charged with murder. He is described as having "assumed care" of the children while their mother was in jail, and subsequently abandoning them near railroad tracks. He is the mother's male paramour/boyfriend.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The news article states: "They booked him into the Mendocino County Jail on a murder charge and a violation of post-release community supervision." Edward "Two Feathers" Steele was explicitly arrested and charged with murder for the child's death.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The news article states: "On 08-02-2022 at 2:05 AM Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Deputies were dispatched to a possible domestic violence incident occurring in the 1700 block of North State Street in Ukiah, California." The children's mother, Sally Arellano, "was arrested for a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence battery." This domestic violence incident involved the parent/caregiver and occurred the day before the child's death.
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
The news article states the children "had been left in Steele's care at a hotel on the 1300 block of North State Street in the city of Ukiah." The mother also told deputies at the time of her arrest that "her children were at a motel approximately .5 miles away while being cared for by a babysitter." This indicates the family was living in a hotel/motel, which constitutes temporary shelter.
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The news article states Steele was booked on "a murder charge and a violation of post-release community supervision." Post-release community supervision is a form of supervised release following a prior conviction, implying that Steele had a prior criminal history separate from the current fatal incident.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the article: (1) The mother, Sally Arellano, was in jail for domestic violence battery at the time of the child's death, meaning the children ended up in Steele's sole care due to her arrest. (2) Steele was on post-release community supervision at the time he assumed care of the children, suggesting a prior conviction. (3) The family appeared to be living in a hotel/motel in Ukiah, suggesting housing instability. (4) The mother told deputies at the time of her arrest that the children were with a babysitter at a motel, but Steele subsequently "assumed care" — raising questions about the handoff of childcare responsibilities and whether any official agency was aware of the children's caretaking arrangements.
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.