Jeanetta Gatewood
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CANDID ID: KS_23_1906
AGE
8   years
STATE
Kansas
DATE OF DEATH
5/8/2023
MEDIA
DEATH RECORDS
Not Available
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
Eight-year-old Jeanetta Gatewood was found unresponsive in her family home in Wichita, Kansas on May 8, 2023, and subsequently died. An autopsy revealed she had been repeatedly hit and stomped on by her father, Thomas R. Gatewood, causing her heart to give out. The autopsy also showed healing injuries including a broken leg, broken ribs, and head wounds, as well as evidence that she had been whipped; she was underweight with multiple bruises and scars. Thomas kept the children confined to the home to hide the abuse and did not seek medical care for their injuries. He also injured and tortured another child in the home, who was found to have a broken pelvis, broken spine, and broken ribs. Thomas attempted to coerce the surviving child into confessing to the murder. He pleaded no contest to first-degree murder and eight other counts. Thomas had a prior history of child abuse investigations spanning Minnesota and Oklahoma.
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)?

Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

The news article states: "the autopsy showed that Jeanetta had been repeatedly hit and stomped on, causing her heart to give out." Additional inflicted injuries are described including whipping, beatings, and multiple bruises and scars.

Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?

The news article explicitly states: "Prosecutors said Jeanetta was underweight."

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

The news article states: "Thomas did not take the children to get medical care for any of those injuries." The children had serious injuries including broken bones that were in the process of healing without treatment.

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)?

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)?

The article provides extensive evidence of prolonged, deliberately cruel treatment. It states Thomas "injured and tortured another one of his children," and "he kept them confined to the home with threats and beatings. Neighbors never saw children at the house. The prosecution said Thomas kept them confined to hide the evidence of abuse." The autopsy showed injuries "in the process of healing, including a broken leg, broken ribs, and head wounds," evidence of whipping, and being underweight — all indicating a sustained pattern of cruelty over an extended period.

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?

The article identifies Thomas R. Gatewood as the victim's father. He is described as "A Wichita man who was arrested after his daughter's death" and the victim is "8-year-old Jeanetta Gatewood." The shared surname and the repeated use of "his daughter" strongly indicate he is the biological father. He pleaded no contest to first-degree murder.

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)?

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?

While the text does not explicitly mention school, the article states that Thomas "kept them confined to the home with threats and beatings" and "Neighbors never saw children at the house. The prosecution said Thomas kept them confined to hide the evidence of abuse." For an 8-year-old school-aged child, being kept confined to the home to hide evidence of abuse strongly implies the child was not attending 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)?

The article describes multiple prior incidents involving Thomas Gatewood's children. In 2006, "Gatewood and his wife were investigated in the June 2006 death of an infant in Minneapolis." In 2009, "officials took a newborn baby and a toddler from the family's home in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. A court affidavit said the toddler was unable to walk and talk and had bruises all over her body." These represent a history of child protection involvement predating Jeanetta's death.

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)?

The article states: "Gatewood and his wife were investigated in the June 2006 death of an infant in Minneapolis. A court affidavit said a detective investigated the couple after a child who died of meningitis was found to have bruises, skull fractures and rib injuries." While the text does not explicitly state the infant was Thomas's child (and thus Jeanetta's sibling), the context of the investigation of the couple and its placement within Thomas's criminal history strongly implies the infant was in their care and was their child.

Parent/Caregiver Factors

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

The article states: "After an investigation, police arrested Thomas in late June." He subsequently "pleaded no contest to first-degree murder and eight other counts, including kidnapping, aggravated battery, and aggravated endangering of a child."

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?

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: "Court records show that Thomas was sentenced to a year in jail, probation and court costs in the Bartlesville case." This refers to a 2009 case in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, which is prior criminal history separate from the current fatal incident involving Jeanetta.

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Notable Details

The article reveals a significant systemic failure across multiple states. Thomas Gatewood had a documented history of child abuse spanning at least three states (Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Kansas) over nearly two decades. In 2006, he and his wife were investigated in the death of an infant in Minneapolis who "was found to have bruises, skull fractures and rib injuries," but "no charges were filed because of insufficient evidence." In 2009 in Oklahoma, Thomas was sentenced to only a year in jail after children were removed from the home with evidence of abuse. Despite this documented history, he retained or regained custody of children and went on to kill 8-year-old Jeanetta in 2023. Additionally, Thomas attempted to obstruct justice by trying to get the surviving child to confess to the murder and threatened the child, saying, "If you ever tell, I will beat you up."

Lives Cut Short