Ryan McDaniel was born October 30, 1994 in Longmont, Colorado the first child to Bobbie J. Eggers and Stephen McDaniel. Ryan was a remarkable, vibrant child, very happy and loving. He was just learning to pronounce words like “mommy” and “daddy.”
In his short life he danced like nobody’s business and tried to sing like nobody was watching. He was able to see joy in everything. During his life he was able to fish, swim, visit the zoo, and eat cab legs to his little heart’s content and go 4 wheeling.
One wonders what thoughts and fears Ryan experienced every morning when being dropped off at his babysitters. On Saturday, January 13, 1996, Ryan was taken to the trauma center at St. Anthony’s North Hospital where his head trauma was misdiagnosed as an ear infection.
The following Tuesday, Ryan was feeling better so his parents took him back to the sitter. Later, they received a call from the sitter saying Ryan was unable to move and that she brought him to the fire station a few blocks from her.
The sitter, Debbie Penland, was eventually arrested in June 1996. She was tried and acquitted by a jury on June 1, 1998. Observers at the trial said medical testimony was confusing and contradictory.