Brutally Beaten Toddler Released From Hospital

Her Mother's Boyfriend Is Accused Of Beating Her Near Death

By George Sells FOX2now.com

3:57 p.m. CDT, March 19, 2010

ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2Now.com)—

The Metro East toddler, beaten so badly that eighteen inches of her intestines had to be removed, has been released from Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. Amanda Runyon went home with her biological father and grandparents Friday afternoon.

To her family, the fact she's leaving eighteen days after arriving here in a fight for her life is a miracle.

"I was very worried," Amanda's grandmother, Linda Ford said while choking back tears. "Very worried, because I didn't think she'd say "Maw Maw" or anything again.

She arrived at Cardinal Glennon on March 1st. Deputies say Kraig Monroe, her mom's boyfriend, began beating her when she wouldn't stop crying. Police described the toddler being punched repeatedly in the stomach while sitting, crying, in her "Elmo" chair.

It wasn't long after she was hospitalized that it became clear the tragedy might have been prevented. Ten days earlier, Amanda had been taken to a new daycare. They discovered she had a broken leg which had not been treated. She was immediately sent home to go to the doctor, and Illinois' Department of Children and Family Services was called.

That's where the confusion began. DCFS called Belleville Police, but the home where Amanda was living wasn't in Belleville. It's also unclear if they told police specifics about the injury. In the end, despite a visit to the home DCFS left Amanda with Monroe and her mother. Days later, the final beating took place.

"I'm upset and angry," Ford said Friday. "But I'm more upset that this happened, when it could have been all avoided. I mean, but the main thing we think about now is we've got her back and she's gonna go home, because we didn't know if she would or not."

Her recovery has been swift. Doctors say she'll likely suffer no long term effects of the injuries. But Amanda isn't the same as she once was.

"This girl would go up to complete strangers," her biological father, Eddie Runyon says. "She was so friendly. But now she doesn't. She's just real timid, which I understand. I hope in time she'll learn to trust again."

He says that's the hard part right now.

"I just want my daughter back, he says. "The daughter I had before this. Physically she's doing great, but I think it's gonna take a while for her to get her old personality back and trust people and be her lively little self."

Runyon says Amanda hasn't said a word about Kraig Monroe, or what he allegedly did to her. He won't say if the little girl has asked for her mother. Dawn Obptande was not charged by deputies, but a restraining order forbids her from coming near her daughter right now. Runyon says he thinks that's best for now.

The family offered hugs and "thank you's" to doctors and staff Friday. Two weeks ago machines were breathing for her and feeding her. Now Amanda Runyon is back to eating pizza and French Fries. She's headed to a new home with her father. The fact she's leaving this hospital at all is a triumph for this tiny little girl.

Her grandmother says it's simple, "we prayed to God and God answered our prayers."