New details emerged this week after a child was allegedly beaten to death at an illegal daycare run by the wife of a 40-year-old U.S. Army, a federal indictment states.
Staff Sgt. Kevin Long, 40, was indicted in June by a federal grand jury on charges of first-degree murder and making a false statement or representation related to the child’s death. The sealed indictment was made public following Long’s first court appearance.
The incident reportedly happened in November 2019, at a home in Pulaski County, at the Fort Leonard Wood Army installation. Long is accused of physically assaulting the toddler, referred to as “Jane Doe” in court documents, in an ongoing pattern.
This week, The Military Times identified the child as 2-year-old Alizaundra “Ali” Kundert.
The indictment states that Long caused her death through blunt force injuries, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri.
The child’s mother, identified as Rae Kundert, told investigators that she knew the home daycare was not authorized, but said she was close friends with the suspect’s wife, had known her a long time, and did not think that her child was in danger.
Initially, the Kunderts were under suspicion, following the child’s death. Local civilian authorities removed their other three children from the family home around a week after Ali’s death. The Kunderts subsequently hired attorneys, leading to nearly $10,000 in attorney fees. Their surviving children were returned to them over six months later.
Rae Kundert told the Military Times that there is a large problem with the military’s childcare shortage.
“I support the military full-fledged,” she said.
“But there are so many military members and not enough child care. The [child development centers] are constantly filling up, and there aren’t enough people going for [family child care certification] the proper way. That’s why you have all these unlicensed babysitters on post. …. Soldiers and families may feel they don’t have any other option.”
Speaking of the incident, Rae Kundert said the suspect’s wife had left the home to take her own child to school, leaving Long in charge of Ali. Long then made the 911 call himself, claiming that Ali fell down the stairs, hit her head hard, appeared limp, and displayed unusual behavior. He also mentioned a knot on her head where she had struck it.
A medical examiner’s report indicated that Ali’s death happened due to “blunt force injuries of the head and neck,” and couldn’t have been caused by a fall.
“This was not plausibly caused by a fall of this small child down a short flight of 4 stairs, as was apparently alleged to the EMS personnel,” the report said. “More likely there was a forced severe hyperextension of the neck, probably accompanying the blow or blows causing the extensive bruising,”
Since the death occurred within the boundaries of Fort Leonard Wood, it places the crime under the “special maritime or territorial jurisdiction of the United States.” The case, subsequently, is being handled in federal court.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasized that a murder committed during the act of child abuse is considered “first-degree murder.” The second charge arises from Long’s alleged falsehoods given to federal investigators who reviewed the case.
Long allegedly said “he was unaware of United States Army regulations that restricted the operation of a day care at Fort Leonard Wood,” court documents state.
“The statement and representation were false because, as Kevin Long then and there knew, United States Army regulations restricted the operation of a day care at Fort Leonard Wood.”
Long remains behind bars in federal custody. A detention hearing is scheduled for July 6. It’s unclear if his wife is currently facing charges for operating an illegal daycare.
Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Facebook/Police Handout]
