Couple charged with child abuse in Morgan County
MORGAN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)
A couple was charged with child abuse and other felonies in Morgan County on Saturday.
Leland Scotty Maddy, 35, of Stover, was charged with child abuse, two counts of first-degree child abuse and unlawful gun possession. He is being held at the Morgan County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
Megan Maddy was charged with child abuse, third-degree domestic assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. A warrant was issued for her arrest and a $250,000 bond was set. She is not listed on the Morgan County Jail roster.
According to a heavily redacted probable cause statement, a caller reported possible child abuse to Morgan County Dispatch and wanted a well-being check performed. The caller told dispatchers that his wife had been at a bus stop in Ivy Bend when a child had allegedly said their father had hit them in the face and caused a black eye.
Morgan County Sheriff’s deputies went to a residence and spoke with both Maddys and there was another adult at the residence, as well as five children. The report states that the two were under investigation for related cases and Megan Maddy allegedly told law enforcement that the two had several reports of child abuse recently and claimed none of it happened.
Leland Maddy had allegedly told deputies that the marks on one of the children could have come from “roughhousing” from other children or the dog, but he claimed to not have any clue of how it happened, the release states. He was eventually arrested.
A deputy in the probable cause statement reported the marks on the child were consistent with abuse. One child allegedly told deputies they were “smacked” by Megan Maddy and another child told law enforcement that Leland Maddy had punched one of the children, according to the heavily redacted statement. The children were taken into protective custody by the Department of Social Services, the statement says.
Megan Maddy allegedly had admitted pushing one of the youth during an argument and likely strangled and scratched the child, the statement says. Leland Maddy allegedly admitted to routinely getting into fights with one of the other youth, the statement says.
Deputies found a tablet with video recordings that allegedly had a male voice yelling at a female voice, followed by the sound of someone getting hit, the statement says. Leland Maddy allegedly admitted to being the male voice.
Law enforcement also found a gun at the residence and Leland Maddy allegedly admitted to owning it. The statement says he is a convicted felon and not allowed to own a gun.
