Two-year-old Cyrilla died on June 12 after becoming trapped in a homemade lofted bed at her family's Iola home. The bed, designed and built by her mother Emily Ferg with assistance from her father Cody Deschler, was approximately 3 feet above the floor. The child attempted to climb out feet first, and while her legs and torso slipped between the widely-spaced slats, her shoulders became wedged, leaving her feet unable to reach the floor. She asphyxiated as a result. Both parents were asleep in another room and did not hear anything because a television was playing in the child's room loud enough to mask any sounds. The parents acknowledged they knew the bed was unsafe and had intended to lower it to floor level but had not done so. Both were charged with child neglect resulting in death, but the charges were later dismissed at a preliminary hearing after the judge ruled the state did not meet its burden of proof.
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)?
Both documents describe the parents sleeping in another room while the child was in a known-unsafe bed. The waupacanow.com article states: "They did not hear anything because a TV in the child's room was playing loud enough that the parents could hear it over the TV in their room." It also notes that "Deschler told investigators the child had figured out how to climb over the railing," indicating awareness that the child could attempt to escape the bed. The fox11online.com article states: "They knew it was unsafe and intended to make modifications." The parents' failure to adequately monitor a child they knew was in an unsafe and escapable sleeping situation implies inappropriate supervision.
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)?
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?
Both documents describe an unsafe homemade lofted bed with slats spaced wide enough for the child's body to slip through. The waupacanow.com article states: "Ferg told investigators she knew that the bed as it was built was hazardous." The fox11online.com article quotes the complaint: "These two unsafe features caused (Cyrilla) to asphyxiate and die." The bed was approximately 3 feet above the floor, homemade, and lofted, creating a dangerous sleeping environment.
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Cody Deschler is referred to as one of the child's parents and part of "An Iola couple." The waupacanow.com article describes them as the parents who face charges for their child's death. He assisted in building the bed in which the child died. While the text does not explicitly say "biological father," the consistent reference to both Deschler and Ferg as the child's parents strongly implies a biological relationship.
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Emily Ferg is referred to as one of the child's parents and part of "An Iola couple." The waupacanow.com article notes: "She reportedly designed and built the bed with Deschler's assistance." Both documents consistently refer to Ferg as a parent of the child. While not explicitly stated as the biological mother, the context strongly implies a biological relationship.
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?
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 waupacanow.com article states: "Cody L. Deschler, 30, and Emily M. Ferg, 27, are charged with child neglect resulting in death." Both parents were charged with felonies. The fox11online.com article later reports that the charges were dismissed at the preliminary hearing when Judge Vicki Clussman ruled the state did not meet its burden of proof, but they were indeed initially charged.
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?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
The fox11online.com article reports a notable legal outcome: "After testimony by a police officer and arguments from the attorneys at the preliminary hearing, Judge Vicki Clussman ruled the state did not meet its burden of proof, and ordered the cases dismissed, court records show." The dismissal of felony charges at the preliminary hearing stage — meaning the state could not even establish probable cause for the case to proceed to trial — is a substantive detail that materially affects understanding of this case.
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