Prosecutors File New Charges in 2014 Death of Vader Toddler

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Brenda Wing, the Vader woman charged in the 2014 death of toddler Jasper Henderling-Warner, faces additional charges of first-degree rendering criminal assistance and first-degree conspiracy to commit criminal mistreatment.

This marks the third time Wing’s charged have been amended in this case, one that has proven to be long and winding. In 2015, Wing pleaded guilty to a handful of charges and was sentenced in early 2016 to approximately 34 years. The state Court of Appeals allowed her the option to withdraw her guilty plea after the Lewis County Prosecutor’s office incorrectly tallied her offender score — a number that determines sentencing ranges.

She opted to withdraw her plea earlier this month, a choice that effectively took her case — which had already meandered along for a few years — back to square one. She has a jury trial scheduled for Jan. 14, 2019.

The most severe count leveled against Wing, and the one that carries the highest consequence if convicted, remains the same. It’s labeled as either homicide by abuse or first-degree manslaughter. Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said neither one charge nor the other was selected, to give a jury a chance to interpret whether either crime was committed.

“We feel confident in the case that we’ll be presenting to the jury that they’ll find the first count, but at the same time, you always want to make sure that the jury has the ability to find the person guilty of the conduct they believe occurred,” said Meyer.

In total, Wing is charged with four felonies, including the two new ones. She additionally faces a charge of tampering with physical evidence.

During a hearing in Lewis County Superior Court Thursday afternoon, Wing pleaded not guilty to the additional charges filed against her. Meyer told The Chronicle these are charges that would have been added to Wing’s case had she gone to trial the first time around.

“Obviously, we look to get some type of finality with the case and that hasn’t occurred here, so we’ll go to trial, we’ll present our case and leave it up to the jury,” said Meyer.

Wing and her husband, Danny, were both charged in the death of Henderling-Warner, and were both presented with the same option of withdrawing their guilty plea after the appeals’ court’s ruling. That started a series of legal wrangling, filed motions and delayed decisions.

“It’s been an enormously complex case. … Probably one of the most complex I’ve seen in terms of the legal wrangling,” said Brenda Wing’s legal counsel Shane O’Rourke in a previous interview with The Chronicle.

Danny Wing opted against withdrawing his guilty plea last month to his own charges of first-degree manslaughter and third-degree assault. He will be resentenced on the assault charge only, because it was one tied to the incorrect offender score, during a hearing starting 9 a.m., Jan 8., 2019.

O’Rourke said his defense will center on analyzing Wing’s involvement in the death.

Court documents paint a bleak picture of the 3-year-old’s death. He was in the Wings’ care at the time of his death, and had injuries including abrasions, bruises, healing fractures and missing teeth.