Christopher Marks' Stepfather Receives One Year in Jail for Child Endangerment

Christopher Marks’ stepfather was sentenced Monday to one year in county jail by St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Mary Bruntrager Schroeder.  

Todd Combs, 42, of Affton, also will serve two years probation after being released from jail. He must wear an alcohol-monitoring bracelet for one year.

Combs pleaded guilty May 9 to seven counts of child endangerment after prosecutors said Combs had provided alcohol for seven minors on an outing at the Pacific Palisades Conservation Area.

Christopher, 12, drowned in the Meramec River during the Aug. 5 event, which included Combs, Christopher and six teens, all 15 years old.

During the hearing, his wife, Elizabeth Combs, spoke on Combs’ behalf.

“It took a long time for me to get to the point where I don’t hate my husband,” Elizabeth Combs said. “It would be easy for me to say, ‘You did it. It’s your fault.’”

Combs said Christopher’s death “has torn my family apart. They want someone to suffer be punished.”

Elizabeth acknowledged her husband made bad choices and “let me down more than anyone ever could.” She noted some of her family members left the courtroom when she got up to speak for her husband.

She said she lost family members, including her daughters, because of Christopher’s death. Subsequently, the Division of Family Services removed their other children from their home due to home conditions – not the Meramec River incident, Goulet said.

But Elizabeth said Combs also jumped in the river on another outing to save one of her sons from drowning, and rushed home when her daughter called to tell them of a break-in at their home while she was there.

“He found Christopher because I asked him to. I asked him to end it,” she said.

Prosecutor Kathy Alizadeh said Combs’ actions led to Christopher’s death, and asked for a more severe sentence.

“Other children at the scene did report they saw Christopher drinking and they observed his behavior, and they believed he was under the influence of alcohol, Alizadeh said.

“This is not a cookie-cutter crime, “ she said.

Alizideh said she believes Combs is an alcoholic who continues to drink and continues to drive, despite having his license revoked.

“That could end up being a deadly combination for someone,” she said.

The prosecution could not prove the level of alcohol in Christopher’s body because the body produces alcohol during decomposition, Alizadeh said.

But Combs had a history of alcohol-related assaults, DWIs and other behavior dating back to 1989, the prosecutor said.

Defense attorney Shawn Goulet said people saw Christopher “sneaking drinks.” Goulet said the boy’s behavior was different because he was a 12-year-old hanging out with 15-year-old girls.

Christopher’s grandmother, Lisa Miskimon, wrote a letter that was read during the hearing, questioning Combs’ behavior and judgment and telling how by losing Christopher the family “will never be the same.”

“In our hearts, there is no punishment severe enough for him,” Miskimon wrote. “In our minds, we know we have to rely on the decisions of others.”

Combs said he provided the alcohol because “I made some stupid decisions. I wanted to fit in with my kids.”

He broke down crying when he mentioned Christopher’s death and the search for his body.

Schroeder said she believed alcohol played a part in Christopher’s death, whether directly or indirectly.

“Adults are not there to be friends – they are there to be adults,” Schroeder said. “You did not do that, sir.”