Baby's death shocks neighbors

BREMERTON — How could a child die of "terrible" neglect in a tightly knit Navy community where officials pride themselves on the support they offer, where homes are separated by paper-thin walls and neighbors seem to know each other's business?

That question was repeatedly asked Wednesday by residents of Jackson Park Naval Housing Area, where 18-month-old Brenda Amythest Rhoades was found dead Monday in what Kitsap County prosecutors say they believe is a case of criminal neglect.

The child's 21-year-old mother, Richeal Marie Rhoades, has been arrested on investigation of second-degree murder.

Deputy Prosecutor Chris Casad said his office plans to charge Rhoades today with either second-degree felony murder or second-degree manslaughter.

Casad said he rarely has seen a more serious case of neglect.

"This is one of the more terrible crimes that you're ever going to see in terms of neglecting a totally helpless person," Casad said.

Prosecutors say Rhoades became depressed over the past few months while her sailor husband was aboard a submarine and that she stopped feeding and caring for her 3-year-old son and the infant. The boy had to make his own snacks, according to prosecutors, but his sister died of an apparent combination of illness, malnutrition and neglect shortly before Thanksgiving, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Rhoades wrapped her daughter's body in several garbage bags with dirty diapers and hid it in a storage closet. Her husband's submarine returned to Bangor on Sunday, and authorities were notified the next day.

While authorities are still piecing together what exactly happened in the home, Rene Brower, a veteran Navy wife, said newcomers sometimes can have a hard time finding social-service resources the Navy offers to help them through difficult times. For many, the most difficult time comes when a spouse is on a lengthy deployment aboard a Navy ship, she said.

Tom Danaher, a spokesman for Naval Base Kitsap, said the Navy community was perplexed by the death.

"We have a legion of support capabilities that are, and have been, available," he said, citing family services, parenting programs, community support, the ombudsman programs and the chaplaincy.

Danaher said the family-support organization from the USS Maine contacted Rhoades a few weeks ago because it had not heard from her since her move and were told that "everything was fine."

"How could something like this happen?" asked Brower, who moved to Jackson Park earlier this year.

One of Rhoades' neighbors, Cassie Hall, said Rhoades had become increasingly depressed in November but resisted all offers of friendship and help.

"I tried hard," Hall said. "I invited her over. I offered to take care of her children. But she said she was just tired. We had no idea that the baby was hurt."

When Hall invited Rhoades and her family to share Thanksgiving dinner with her family, she said Rhoades brought only her 3-year-old son. "She told us the baby was with friends," said Hall.

Hall, who herself has an infant and a toddler, said she never heard prolonged crying or any other noises that might have indicated something was amiss next door.

According to Kitsap County Superior Court documents, Rhoades and her two children moved from King's Bay, Ga., to Jackson Park in September to prepare for her husband's submarine, the USS Maine, to be stationed at Bangor Naval Submarine Base.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Services said Rhoades became depressed after the move. Investigators said her son was able to survive because he was able to forage food and water for himself but that Rhoades essentially stopped feeding and changing the baby.

Christine Clarridge: 206-464-8983 or cclarridge@seattletimes.com