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Mixalis Christos Papalas-Schultz

Age : 1

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 08/27/2024

Location : Sherman Road near 244th Road

City : Atchison

County : Atchison

State : Kansas

Agency : Atchison County Sheriff's Office; Kansas Highway Patrol

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander (infant) killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 08/27/2024, 17-month-old Mixalis Papalas-Schultz died at Children’s Mercy Hospital from injuries sustained two days earlier when the vehicle in which he was a passenger crashed during an Atchison County Sheriff’s Office pursuit south of Atchison.
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The incident began at approximately 5:30 p.m. on 08/25/2024, when Atchison police received a report that a vehicle had crashed into a wall in the 700 block of S Street and then left the scene. Police were told that the vehicle had lost its front bumper in the collision.
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Approximately 10 minutes later, an Atchison County sheriff’s deputy spotted a vehicle matching that description parked in the grass along Sherman Road south of the Atchison city limits, just north of 244th Road. The deputy passed the vehicle, turned around, activated the patrol vehicle’s emergency lights and pulled in behind it.
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The deputy approached the driver’s side and began speaking with the driver, identified as Maria Papalas, 28. According to the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office, Papalas began rolling up the window and then drove away at high speed. The deputy did not realize that 17-month-old Mixalis was in the back seat.
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The deputy followed Papalas south on Sherman Road but lost sight of the Toyota Corolla. After traveling south of 242nd Road, the deputy saw a cloud of dust on the west side of Sherman Road and discovered that the Toyota had left the roadway, crossed a fence and crashed into trees after rolling multiple times.
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When the deputy reached the wrecked Toyota, Papalas was outside the vehicle and reaching through a window to remove Mixalis from the back seat. The deputy attempted to take Papalas into custody, and police alleged that she struck and kicked the deputy during the encounter. After taking her into custody, the deputy provided assistance to the critically injured child until Atchison County Rescue and EMS arrived.
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Mixalis was transported to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City with life-threatening injuries. He remained hospitalized until approximately 2:25 p.m. on 08/27/2024, when he died from his injuries.
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Initial Kansas Highway Patrol reporting stated that Mixalis had been properly restrained in a child safety restraint during the crash. However, later court proceedings produced contrary evidence. At Papalas’s 2025 criminal case, evidence showed that Mixalis had not been properly restrained in a car seat when the crash occurred.
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Papalas was initially charged with first-degree murder committed during the commission of a felony, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, aggravated child endangerment, interference with law enforcement, battery on a law-enforcement officer, driving under the influence, marijuana possession and reckless driving.
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In May 2025, Papalas pleaded no contest under a plea agreement to amended charges of second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated endangering a child. The remaining charges were dismissed.
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On 06/24/2025, an Atchison County District Court judge sentenced Papalas to a total of 303 months in prison, or 25 years and three months, for second-degree murder and the two aggravated child-endangerment convictions.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND
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The Atchison County Sheriff’s Office did not publicly identify the deputy who initiated the pursuit preceding the crash that ultimately killed Mixalis.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://hayspost.com/posts/5a96b362-23b7-425c-a556-0850fce680ca
https://fox4kc.com/news/1-year-old-boy-killed-in-police-chase-crash-in-atchison-kansas/
https://www.mscnews.net/news/?nk=78128
https://www.kmbc.com/article/atchison-kansas-woman-charged-with-murder-in-chase-that-killed-1-year-old/61999629
https://www.wibw.com/2024/08/26/child-seriously-injured-crash-during-atchison-county-police-chase/
https://www.newspressnow.com/public-safety/2024/08/29/atchison-mother-charged-after-1-year-old-dies-following-police-pursuit/
https://www.wibw.com/2024/08/29/woman-jailed-after-child-dies-injuries-sunday-crash-during-police-chase-near-atchison/
https://mscnews.net/local-news/814408/atchison-woman-sentenced-on-charges-in-fatal-crash
https://www.kmbc.com/article/kansas-woman-sentenced-child-killed-police-chase/65175835