Slain Girl's History Is Sad One

Sarah Michelle Lunde probably knew more than any 13-year-old girl should about the legacy of abuse.

Years before the Ruskin teen was strangled and dumped in a pond, she endured beatings with a belt buckle and other "bizarre" punishments that included being left outside, going hungry and being left home alone for long periods, according to state documents released late Tuesday.

She was a child caught in a vicious custody battle between parents with violent pasts, child welfare workers note in more than 1,000 pages of records from the Florida Department of Children & Families.

The Tampa Tribune filed a lawsuit against DCF to obtain the records. Among them are reports that shed light on David Lee Onstott, Sarah's mother's sometimes-boyfriend who is charged in Sarah's death, and his involvement with another underage girl.

Sarah last was seen alive by family April 10, a Sunday. They thought she went to stay at a friend's house. When she didn't go to school that Monday, her mother reported Sarah missing.

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office investigators immediately focused on Onstott, who is a registered sexual offender and has a history of violence against women. Authorities say he told them he argued with Sarah the night she disappeared, then strangled her before submerging her body in a nearby pond. He remains jailed.

None of the DCF records released links Onstott to Sarah or her family.

In 2002, a report of abuse alleges Onstott gave his then-girlfriend's 16-year-old daughter a black eye. When questioned by authorities, the teen recanted, saying she was "goofing around dancing" with Onstott and he accidentally struck her.

The most serious report occurred in 1990 when Onstott, then 22, was accused of picking up his 16-year-old stepdaughter from school after she missed the bus, driving her down a dirt road and kissing her, leaving two marks on her chest.

The DCF investigator spoke to the teen's father, who told him Onstott had visited the girl's school several times and given her a ring and that his daughter had had feelings for Onstott that she had resolved. The investigator also spoke to Onstott's stepmother, who said he had some "deep-seated emotional problems" and a prior drug problem.

She was surprised Onstott was involved with his stepdaughter, the report states.

The investigator determined the risk of abuse or neglect was "low" because Onstott lived at another location and the girl's mother was "protective" of her.

The remaining documents outline a hardscrabble life for Sarah, her four siblings and their mother, Kelly May. Reports of abuse begin in 1992 and end in 2000, after the children spent a year in foster care before returning home.

Often the children were caught between their parents' verbal and physical fights and forced to take sides.

By 1995, reports of abuse had escalated from spankings leaving bruises to Sarah's father, Richard Lunde, allegedly beating May in front of the children and leaving them terrified.

May and Lunde were married for 10 years and divorced in 1997. Life didn't get better for the Lunde family.

When DCF officials came to investigate calls they received in October 1999, Sarah told them she was beaten regularly with a leather belt, most recently the previous evening. Sarah said her mother's boyfriend told her to stand against a wall, then he struck her 11 times with his belt. Investigators saw bruises that backed Sarah's story. After interviewing family, investigators also found "some indicators" of Sarah being subjected to "inadequate shelter and confinement."

May told investigators her boyfriend may have hit the children once, but that they generally were punished with time-outs, going to their rooms or being made to sit outside.

She admitted to smoking marijuana "from time to time" when investigators found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the Lunde home.

DCF took custody of the minor children. Sarah was placed in foster care.

Sarah's older siblings and mother visited her regularly. Caseworkers noted in reports that Sarah and her siblings had a strong bond with their mother.

The reports mention behavioral problems with Sarah, specifically her disrespect of teachers and adult staff at school. Sarah had to attend summer school and repeat second grade.

In January 2000, a foster parent caring for Sarah, then 8, called DCF and requested the girl's removal because she tried to kiss and touch a 5-year-old girl who also was in foster care, according to the documents.

The report states there was evidence of inappropriate behavior and that Sarah was removed from the foster home and referred to counseling.

On June 30, 2000, Sarah came home to her mother with the stipulation that they remain under DCF supervision. On March 29, 2001, the supervision was discontinued.