Mendocino County man to stand trial in toddler’s death

A judge upheld charges against a Mendocino County man Wednesday and ordered him to stand trial in the 2022 death of a 13-month-old abandoned near railroad tracks in Ukiah.

Judge Victoria Shanahan issued her ruling five days after Edward Two Feathers Steele’s preliminary hearing April 5 in Mendocino County Superior Court.

Steele, who’s charged with second-degree murder and two counts of child cruelty, is scheduled to return to court April 25 for officials to set a date for a jury trial.

He’s accused of abandoning two toddlers Aug. 3, 2022, near railroad tracks at Brush Street. One was declared dead at the scene and the other, his 2-year-old brother, was treated for serious injuries.

Steele’s attorney, Joseph Stogner, said a remorseful Steele did not purposely harm the children and he cooperated with investigators following his arrest.

“No evidence was presented that Mr. Steele knew his behavior created a high probability of death or that he was consciously disregarding human life, even when he walked away from the children,” Stogner wrote in a motion for a lesser charge.

Stogner argued a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter would have been appropriate, but Shanahan rejected the request. .

Steele could face at least 15 years to life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder.

According to investigators, he was dating the boys’ mother and they were out early Aug. 2, 2022, when they got into an argument on North Street in Ukiah.

The mother was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and battery.

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office investigators previously said child protective services wasn’t notified because the mother explained her children were at a motel with a babysitter.

Early Aug. 3, Steele returned to the motel and took the boys with him.

Their mother was released from jail that morning and called authorities after she struggled to find her children.

Testimony from April 5 showed Steele is suspected of leaving the children near the railroad tracks around 8 a.m. Aug. 3, and they were found about eight hours later.

Steele was arrested the next day at the Hopland Rancheria.

During the preliminary hearing April 5, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Detective Samuel Logan testified Steele claimed he went to the Russian River after leaving the boys. He then visited a convenience store and a friend’s home before going to the rancheria.

“Through the investigation, it was further established that defendant took the children from the motel room where they had shelter, items to care for the children and where they could get food delivered. And defendant abandoned them in an area outside where there were hazardous materials around,” Mendocino County Deputy District Attorney Luke Oakley wrote in a briefing supporting charges. “Defendant left the 1-year-old baby and 2-year-old child with no food or water on a hot August day.”

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi