Smyrna Mother Sentenced for the 2019 Murder of 3-Year-Old Daughter
31-year-old Kristie Haas of Smyrna has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the torture and killing of her three-year-old daughter, Emma Cole in 2019. Meanwhile, Emma’s stepfather– 41-year-old Brandon Haas– was to be sentenced as well after pleading guilty to one felony count and three misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Statement from Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings:
“What this defendant did to her own daughter was heinous, and today brings a complex and harrowing case to a just end. This conviction doesn’t just bring certainty in outcome and a lengthy sentence—it ensures that Emma’s young siblings, who would otherwise have been absolutely required to testify at trial, will not be re-traumatized by having to relive the terror of Emma’s last days. I’m enormously grateful to the DOJ team and many investigators who took on this difficult case; identified Emma; and ultimately secured justice. Today, like every day, we’re reminded to hold our young ones close.”
