Janae Edmondson's Parents Urge St. Louis Judge To Keep Daniel Riley in Jail

This afternoon in a St. Louis city courtroom, 21-year-old Daniel Riley sat a few feet away from the parents of Janae Edmondson as they recounted the painful recovery their daughter is undergoing in a Saint Louis University hospital a week after Riley allegedly struck Edmondson with a car, resulting in the loss of both her legs.

"This is not the life she expected," Janae's mother said. She added that in the past few days her daughter has asked her heartbreaking questions like, "Am I ever going to walk again? Am I ever going to drive?"

Janae's mother said that her daughter "should be at school in dual enrollment English, not in a hospital bed."

Janae's mother and father were speaking at Riley's detention hearing this afternoon, where it was up to Judge Rochelle Woodiest to decide whether or not to keep Riley in jail as a slew of charges he is facing in two cases work their way through the courts.

Riley is facing three assault charges, one charge of armed criminal action and a fifth charge of driving without a license related to the collision that severely injured Edmondson.

When that incident occurred, Riley was out on bond for armed robbery charges. It subsequently came to light that Riley had violated the terms of that bond dozens of times.

Janae and her family were in St. Louis for Janae to play in a volleyball tournament. Her parents said that they had already ordered custom shoes and a shirt for their daughter to wear at her signing day ceremony where she would accept an athletic scholarship to the University of Tennessee Southern.


In court today, Janae's father said that he can still hear the roaring of the engine and the sound of the explosion that accompanied the collision that caused his daughter to be pinned between two cars.

"The car was going so fast, it took my daughter out of my arms," he said.

He said that he leaned on his military training in that moment, using a blanket and a belt to fasten two tourniquets.

"Whatever you do, don't let this belt go," Janae's father said he told a bystander who assisted in rendering first aid.

"I feel guilty," Janae's father said. "What could I have done better?"

Janae's mother spoke through tears, adding that as Janae lay on the ground she told her daughter, "Don't close your eyes whatever you do."

"A parent should never see their child in that situation," she said.

As the Edmondsons spoke, Riley sat without expression, staring straight ahead.

"He had no reason to be driving like that," Janae's mom said of the 21-year-old. She added that Janae had conveyed to her that, "She doesn't want anyone else to get hurt by this person."

After Janae's mother and father spoke, the judge denied bond modification for Riley, meaning that he will remain in the City Justice Center.

Riley is next due in court on the assault and armed criminal action charges on April 3.

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