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Man Charged With Drowning His Two Kids

October 22, 2010 at 7:15 pm by Melliain

Allen Park, MI - A man was taken into custody Tuesday after police responded to his 911 call about the drowning deaths of his two children. When police arrived at his apartment, they found 27-year-old Steve Nicholson sitting on the floor with the dead bodies of of 15 month old Ella Stafford and 13 month old Jonathon Sanderlin. Nicholson claimed he awoke to find his kids dead in the bathtub but the evidence does not support his statements. He was arraigned today on 1st degree murder charges where he denied the charges of first-degree murder, murder committed during another felony and child abuse. He declared he had been sleeping and that he “didn’t hurt (his) babies.” According to police, the 911 call was made shortly after 2 a.m. Autopsies determined the toddlers were scalded and drowned. ”The alleged facts in this case have affected even the most seasoned prosecutors in this office,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a written statement. “We stand ready to bring this case to justice in a court of law.” After tearfully denying the charges against him, Nicholson was led away in cuffs and is being held without bond.

Tags: Child Murder, Drowning, Michigan, scalding

40 Comments

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http://www.facebook.com/JellyBellyMomma Kimberly Hanselman

Those poor babies How could anyone torture their children? Fucking burn him and drown him like he did to those innocent little kids!
http://www.dreamindemon.com Morbid

Welcome to the site, Melliain. Who wants to bet how long she lasts?
http://www.myspace.com/553147094 Domino

what’s with that bitch lyndsay cook – in the video she claimed to be too scared to take photographs but after he’s locked up has the balls to get on the television and say how many times she’s called cps, and what terrible things she’s witnessed.

yeah balls of steel once he’s fucking locked up but a cowering fucking idiot when he’s running rampant abusing innocent kids. seriously, i’d like to smack the shit out of her.
Anonymous

Some family members in the video say they already know what happened to the kids, which I felt they were referring at the fathers hands. One grandmother states she knew their was something not right with his son, then why not step up and do something about it. To me if a couple of neighbors reported seeing abuse to police & CPS and Ms. Cook was too afraid of the man to take pictures, they all failed these children.
Breadstix

What a horrible way to die. I hope he gets his anal cavity searched with a police baton….on a daily fucking basis.
Anonymous

These are beautiful children, gorgeous, its impossible how he said it happened…
http://www.dreamindemon.com Jaded

Ditto what he said, Melliain. =)
Dude

Am I missing something here? Who is Mellian?
http://www.dreamindemon.com Jaded

Melliain would be the author of this particular story, Dude.
Dude

I realized that must have been the case after I posted this. Damn, pay attention Dude.
Anonymous

They look just like him… was he killing himself when he killed them?
Anonymous

Btw if there’s different mothers it’s ok, but if they’re both from one mom he screwed her when she wasn’t supposed to have sex after giving birth.
Parrot Toes (kathybird)

They were 3 months apart. If it were the same mother, she would have been 3 months preggo with one when she got preggo again. o.O

It’s different moms.
Anastasia

Hello demonites! I have been an avid reader of this site as well as the forums since 2006 but never had the balls to join in on the comments. Well I felt it was time to step out of my comfort zone and join in on the ridicule and trash talk of the crazies featured on this site. So, I find it odd that he had both children at the same time. The fact they were from different mothers, AND that he apparently knocked up mom # 2 just three months into the pregnancy of mom #1 seems to me like the mothers wouldn’t be all that thrilled to let him watch both at the same time. I mean look at the guy, he looks high as a kite, how could anyone trust this sorry excuse for a man with TWO babies?! I feel so sorry for the mothers of the two children, first they were screwed by him (literally and figuratively) when he went out and planted his seed in the two of them pretty much around the same time, and then he stabbed them in the back when his lazy ass decided he couldn’t handle the responsibility. The lesson learned here is BIRTH CONTROL, BIRTH CONTROL, BIRTH CONTROL!!!
Parrot Toes (kathybird)

I believe that he had full custody of one of the kids and it was “his turn” with the other. Even if he had only partial custody of both, I doubt the two mothers would really be planning around each other so I don’t see why it would be so hard to believe that at some point he would have both children at once.
Athena

Congrats on making the leap.

Sadly, I do believe that if the “BIRTH CONTROL” lesson could ever sink in, it probably would have happened by now, assuming these young ladies are somewhere in his age range. Of course, he could be preying on high school parolees, so I don’t know.

Then again, his helmut haircut and soul patch/chin strap/shaped eyebrows SCREAMS “asshole”, to me. But I learned long ago not to assume others have the same prejudice. Damn shame they don’t, though.
http://justiceforcaylee.synthasite.com/ shyloh

It just goes to show. We never know what’s in the mind of others. Some continue to say. “He/She would never do such a thing. But then they end being the one responsible. What a tragic way to die. I just can’t imagine the screaming and torture in all this.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Scarlett-Obrien/100001639567049 Scarlett O’brien

The child that he had full custody of – The Dad had such because Mom knew he was abusive and she fled with the child – she couldn’t prove the abuse, so a judge gave the child to him full time. FUCK!

I hope that made sense. (?)

When I heard about this story, I was afraid to read it: my fear is burning to death – their pictures made me cry. These tiny little cherubs got a double dose – drowned in scalding water! Okay, triple dose, since it was at the hand of their own father.

I’ve heard his excuses and none are convincing and his “story” has changed. Abuse like this makes me wish our system had punishment that was the same as the crime committed.

I can’t imagine what hell their end was like…

RIP Jonathon and Ella.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GWBV2FUY3OBYX3RNK6I44QSC7I Kwum

hack n burn this squinty eyed butterfaced pussy.. bad enuf he could have the detached rage to murder his kids like this but to blame it in them like they killed themselves takes the f*kin cake..
Anonymous

i have been trying to keep up with this story and each time i read it it makes me cry again. i can not imagine the grief of the families involved and my heart and soul goes out to them in this tragic time. jonanthon and ella – you are with your maker and no more pain will ever be inflicted on you. rest in peace babies – you did not deserve this. this piece of shit WILL pay for his sins. i am a firm believer in two things: KARMA IS A BITCH and STUPID SHOULD BE PUNISHED. as such – this pos deserves to die in the worst way possible….as a matter of fact – if one could be killed twice, this fuckstain would be deserving of it. i believe in the power of three and i spit on this pathetic excuse for a human being. may his days be dark as night and may all the daemons of same haunt him till his soul is in torment and agony.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=718490043 Karen Eileen Butner

Goes to show just how stupid CPS can be…the same thing happened to baby peter. His father knew baby Peter was being tortured and was trying to run away with his son. He was told that if he didn’t give Peter back to the fat lazy bitch, he would go to prison.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1424410025 Erin Bales

OOPS! Now y’all know what I look like! LOL Sorry for the early halloween costume. Anyway HI! This is Melliain and WOW thanks everyone. And I hope I last for a long ass time Morbid. LOL Anyway I was gone all day yesterday and today and couldn’t respond sooner, sorry. My niece was having a baby! At 8:24pm last night my grand nephew Dallas Aidan David Cain was born. So I was unable to visit as much with you guys. It is a little weird to be a 30 year old great aunt, but he’s absolutely gorgeous so i can live. LMAO Once again thank you for welcoming me to the site and look forward to writing for a long time.
EveryVillainIsLemons

I think we should scald and almost almost drown this monster a few times, and then send him to prison to spend the rest of his life facing other men who would probably give their right nuts just to be able to hold and kiss their own babies.
Anonymous

Hateful selfish bastard.
Anonymous

Welcome out of lurker status MacabreGirl
Anonymous

hmmmm……….whats in the water in Michigan ? Thats were the nasty Jennifer Petkov lives. The evil woman making fun of a dying 7 year old girl.
Anonymous

Human garbage. Just put him down.
Anonymous

Human garbage. Just put him down.
Wildheart

Welcome Melliain! Good write up to a sad story about a sorry ass shit stain. And congrats on the grand nephew!
Anonymous

Sadly, as much as I detest that evil chunk of rotten flesh (Petkov), he actually makes her look like some sort of humanitarian…I can’t think of a punishment sufficiently painful for this putrid cesspool wasting oxygen on the planet.

C’mon demonites, give me a few satisfying suggestions…
Anonymous

Jesus….the little man’s eyes are going to haunt me. He looks so scared in this pic. I hope the asshole father does the right thing and finds a way to commit suicide while he’s in prision. Just man up and do it you punk ass bitch. R.I.P. sweet angels!!
Anonymous

thank you wildheart.
Anonymous

thank you wildheart.
Anonymous

“Yep, he was a good Dad…come in carrying two carseats.” What a fucking idiotic statement…how does that make him a good dad Aunt Dickhead? Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look at the posted picture and recognize his smile is fake as fuck and that his true irritation vibes are affecting his kids…look at their demeanor. He’s a loser who went around spraying his sperm in women who neglected to protect themselves (I feel nauseous) and made innocent babies that were not wanted. They probably irritated his ugly, lazy, fat ass so bad this day he ran the hot water only for quite some time and threw them in to quiet em’ down. I’ll bet he then turned around and walked away thinking that would teach them to be dependent, irritating, crybabies. Whatever the scenario was, it’s sick and this prick will get his. When he is found guilty, he will have to be housed in PC forever. Even then, someone will get a hold of this child killer and do him right. He is scum of the earth. If there is anyone out there that believes for one second these tiny children could have ran their own hot water, plugged up the tub, and got in for bath time as he claims, go get your head examined.
Anonymous

“Yep, he was a good Dad…come in carrying two carseats.” What a fucking idiotic statement…how does that make him a good dad Aunt Dickhead? Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look at the posted picture and recognize his smile is fake as fuck and that his true irritation vibes are affecting his kids…look at their demeanor. He’s a loser who went around spraying his sperm in women who neglected to protect themselves (I feel nauseous) and made innocent babies that were not wanted. They probably irritated his ugly, lazy, fat ass so bad this day he ran the hot water only for quite some time and threw them in to quiet em’ down. I’ll bet he then turned around and walked away thinking that would teach them to be dependent, irritating, crybabies. Whatever the scenario was, it’s sick and this prick will get his. When he is found guilty, he will have to be housed in PC forever. Even then, someone will get a hold of this child killer and do him right. He is scum of the earth. If there is anyone out there that believes for one second these tiny children could have ran their own hot water, plugged up the tub, and got in for bath time as he claims, go get your head examined.
Anonymous

“Yep, he was a good Dad…come in carrying two carseats.” What a fucking idiotic statement…how does that make him a good dad Aunt Dickhead? Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look at the posted picture and recognize his smile is fake as fuck and that his true irritation vibes are affecting his kids…look at their demeanor. He’s a loser who went around spraying his sperm in women who neglected to protect themselves (I feel nauseous) and made innocent babies that were not wanted. They probably irritated his ugly, lazy, fat ass so bad this day he ran the hot water only for quite some time and threw them in to quiet em’ down. I’ll bet he then turned around and walked away thinking that would teach them to be dependent, irritating, crybabies. Whatever the scenario was, it’s sick and this prick will get his. When he is found guilty, he will have to be housed in PC forever. Even then, someone will get a hold of this child killer and do him right. He is scum of the earth. If there is anyone out there that believes for one second these tiny children could have ran their own hot water, plugged up the tub, and got in for bath time as he claims, go get your head examined.
Anonymous

Please please please stop talking…it’s too realistic a scenario when you put it down this way.

I keep wanting to believe he was sooooo drunk he didn’t realize the water was hot, he was sooo high, he thought they were crying ’cause they probably always did when they were with him, he was sooooo frickin’ stupid that he didn’t realize he should call 911 the minute they turned any color darker the whites of his eyes.

I can’t bear to think of the pain of the mothers and those sweet, innocent little babies. They are just the most beautiful things in the world at that age…I really feel homicidal when I see his face. I don’t even feel sorry for HIS mother. My six year old can take better care of two toddlers than that!
aka Mr.Darcy, MrDarcy

Yup – he looks like another fucking narrow…
Anonymous

I have to agree with some other posters- his smile is fake and the babies look miserable. Probably most of the pictures of them together are similar. Caylee’s pictures were, with Casey. Body language, countenance. How sad.
cyauckerfay, that scenario rings true and gives me the chills.

Fry in hell, Nicholson.
Zibarro aka Kryssa

Contrary to how I usually act/react in these stories – I’m gonna withhold judgment for a bit. After reading this part, I’m just more confused:

“We are trying to find the cause of death and the matter of the children’s physical injuries,” Winters said this morning. “One of the children suffered significant burns and the injuries conflict with the other child who did not.”
Police said Nicholson called 911 at about 2:16 a.m. Oct. 19 and told a dispatcher he believed the toddlers were dead. Police also said Nicholson was found in his Allen Park apartment sitting on the floor with the children lying on the floor in front of him.

Johnathan had burns on his face and Ella was pale with purple lips.

If someone wants to kill their children – would they kill them in the same room – by different means? Why wasn’t Ella burned too? Why only Jonathan’s face? Why go to the trouble of letting the water run and run and run until not only was *his* apartment flooded, the basement and adjoining ones were as well?

Something just isn’t right here. One mom (Ella’s – who he has joint custody with) that she loved her daddy and she never saw anything suspicious (no axe to grind) The other mom (who lost custody) has lots to say about how abusive he was towards his son (huge axe to grind) Neighbors say he abused both kids (though – carrying a child under your arm like “books” isn’t abusive imho)

And last – we all know the cops can be pretty damn nasty and coerce confessions from people who *didn’t* commit a crime — yet, they are so sure this guy did … And they can’t get him to budge one measly inch?

Maybe he did something. But maybe … just maybe … he didn’t.

Read more: Steven Nicholson hearing delayed | freep.com | Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/20101101/NEWS02/101101027/1004/news02#ixzz143APCgk4