Miller County man charged with child molestation
A Miller County prosecutor has charged an Eldon man with child molestation after a nearly two-year-long investigation.
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Pandemic worsens staffing issues at children’s advocacy center
The Rainbow House, a local 24-hour children’s shelter and advocacy center, has struggled for months with not enough staff to serve the children it helps.
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Man charged with child abuse after infant taken to hospital with broken ribs
A Boone County man is accused of fracturing an infant’s ribs dozens of times is being held in the Boone County Jail on no bond.Â
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Belle man arrested for multiple counts of possession of child porn
A Belle man is facing multiple counts of possession of child porn after an investigation by the Maries County Sheriff’s Office.
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Tuscumbia High School teacher accused of sex crimes against a student posts bond
TUSCUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Tuscumbia High School teacher who is accused of sex crimes against a student has posted bond. Michael Allen is charged with two counts of sexual contact with a student and two counts of second-degree sodomy. He posted bond Thursday to get out of the Miller County Jail. Allen is not allowed to
Continue Reading Miller County R-III girls basketball coach charged with sex crimes against a student
A Miller County prosecutor has charged the Tuscumbia High School girls’ basketball coach with sex crimes against a student.
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Benton County man pleads guilty in death of child, abuse of another
Ethan Mast pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder and first-degree assault. His attorney said he admitted to taking part in the abuse that killed 4-year-old Jessica Mast and hitting a young boy.
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Elledge pleads guilty in child abuse case
A Columbia man convicted of murdering his wife has pleaded guilty to abusing their child.
Continue Reading Plea hearing scheduled Tuesday morning for convicted killer’s child abuse case
Joseph Elledge is set to have a plea hearing Tuesday morning in his child abuse case.
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Judge plans to set trial date in Joseph Elledge child abuse trial
Jurors will be selected from Warren County after convicted killer Joseph Elledge child abuse trial after a hearing ended Monday afternoon.
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Lawyers for Joseph Elledge file new requests in both cases
The legal team for Joseph Elledge has filed new motions in both of his criminal cases.
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Judge approves change of venue request in child death case
Prosecutors have charged Kourtney Aumen and three other people in the December 2020 death of 4-year-old Jessica Mast.
Continue Reading Motion to dismiss filed for one suspect accused of killing a four-year-old girl
WARSAW, Mo. (KMIZ) Kourtney Aumen’s lawyers filed to dismiss her charges that she is accused of abusing and killing 4-year-old Jessica Mast. Aumen’s lawyers say the charges do not state a cause against Aumen and do not inform Aumen of the nature and substance of the charges against her. Law enforcement believes she and three
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Jury chosen in murder trial of Joseph Elledge
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Jury selection was finalized Monday, in the first-degree murder trial of Columbia man, Joseph Elledge. Judge Brouck Jacobs swore in the jurors around 6:15 p.m. on Monday. Jacobs, along with the prosecution and defense, spent all day Monday asking questions of jurors to find the group of people from Boone County to
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Columbia assistant coach accused of distributing child pornography
Online records show Benjamin Melvin, 25, was being held Friday in the Boone County Jail without bond.
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Miller County man sentenced to prison for child sex crimes
Luke A. Lessmeier pleaded guilty to one count of statutory sodomy in a Miller County courtroom. He will have to serve at least 85% of his sentence before he can be paroled, according to court records. He will have to register as a sex offender for life, county prosecutor Ben Winfrey said in a news release.
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Columbia man gets 16 years in prison for child molestation
Cale Kliethermes pleaded guilty in April to first-degree child molestation, two counts of attempted child endangerment and one count of sexual misconduct involving a child under 15. Prosecutors dismissed another attempted child endangerment count as part of the plea deal.
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Columbia woman charged with child abuse after 5-week-old found injured
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia woman is charged with first-degree child endangerment after allegedly hurting her 5-week-old baby. Carolyn Yunek is accused of causing several fractures to the child including to his skull and leg. According to court documents, a pediatric radiologist stated the fracture in the leg typically occurs when someone would pick up
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Human trafficking operation in Columbia rescues 9 victims, 2 children
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Authorities detained two suspects and are now investigating after a human trafficking operation led to the discovery and rescue of nine victims and two children. The Columbia Police Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Missouri Attorney General’s Office, and other local, state, and federal agencies detained the two suspects
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Jefferson City man gets probation after pleading guilty to child abuse
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Cole County man pleaded guilty to child abuse charges in connection with an incident that happened last September. 30-year-old Sulaimaan Habeel admitted to a felony charge of abuse or neglect of a child and a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child. Jefferson City police investigated the abuse
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