Mendocino County officials find person of interest in toddler death investigation

Mendocino County authorities Thursday said they’ve found a 32-year-old man considered a person of interest in the death of a toddler whose body was discovered this week near a railroad track in Ukiah where his 2-year-old brother had been found unattended.

Edward “Two Feathers” Steele was found around 12:30 p.m. Thursday on the Hopland Rancheria, east of Hopland.

Steele is believed to have information about the two children prior to their discovery in the 300 block of Brush Street, officials said.

Shortly before 1:30 p.m Wednesday, the Sheriff’s Office received a call from a “concerned parent regarding their two missing children who were left in the care of ... Steele at a hotel in the 1300 block of North State Street in Ukiah,” according to a news release.

Responding deputies could not find Steele or the children.

Shortly before 4 p.m., emergency medical personnel were called to the Brush Street area after a “concerned citizen” found the 2-year-old boy who “appeared to be suffering from heat-related symptoms” near some railroad tracks.

The child was rushed to an area hospital for treatment.

At about 4:20 p.m., during a subsequent search of the area where the 2-year-old was found, law enforcement personnel found the body of his “one-year-old sibling deceased,” according to the release.

The younger child’s cause of death will be determined during a forensic autopsy scheduled for Friday, officials said.

Authorities did not say whether Steele is related to the children or explain why they were left in his care.

Investigators learned that shortly before 5 a.m. Wednesday, a male and two young children — believed to be Steele and the siblings — were seen walking near North State Street and Ford Road.

“A concerned citizen reported the information to the Sheriff’s Office Dispatch but neither the male subject nor (the) children were located upon deputies’ arrival,” officials said in the release.

Mendocino County Sheriff’s detectives are being assisted by Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office investigators, Ukiah Police Department detectives and Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force agents.

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