Police: Man Drowned Child for Insurance

This undated photo provided by the King County Sheriff's Office shows Ashley McLellan. Three-year-old McLellan died in December 2003, after firefighters pulled her unconscious body from the pool at Joel Zellmer's home. Zellmer, Ashley's stepfather, was arrested Wednesday, June 6, 2007, on charges he killed Ashley in an attempt to collect on a $200,000 insurance policy. (AP Photo/King County Sheriff's Office) (AP)

In a declaration filed in the wrongful death claim, Zellmer said he was lying down inside at the time of the drowning.

"I cared for Ashley as if she was my own daughter financially and emotionally, providing her with her own room, feeding her meals, making regular payments for her daycare services, arranging potential doctors appointments and attending to her eyewear needs," he wrote.

Ashley's mother, Stacey Ferguson, disputed that he provided such support.

Zellmer has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree theft on suspicion of collecting $193,000 after filing a bogus disability claim saying he had brain damage. He is being held on $5 million bail pending his arraignment Wednesday.

"As a single mother with a small child, many of us hope for a partner to go through life with and for a father figure that will help set a good example for our children," Ferguson said in a statement. "Mr. Zellmer understood that only too well and he took advantage of my trust and hope."

Other crimes alleged in charging papers:

_ In April 2000, Zellmer began dating Kelly Clauson, the mother of an infant son. She found her baby on the bedroom floor near a hot tub, soaking wet and pallid. Zellmer, who had been in the bedroom, claimed the baby must have crawled into the hot tub, but Clauson knew her son could not have moved the thick, insulated cover.

Documents do not indicate whether the boy, Kyle, suffered any long-term injuries.

That summer, in July, Clauson left Kyle with Zellmer briefly. When she returned, the boy's hands were blistered with second-degree burns. Zellmer claimed the boy leaned against hot fireplace glass.

_ In spring 2003, Zellmer began dating Misty Teran, the mother of a 3-year-old girl, Mia. He suggested taking out insurance policies for her and her daughter. The second time she left Zellmer alone with the girl, she burned her lips on a sippy cup. Teran broke off the relationship after finding in Zellmer's home office pictures of other women with young daughters.