Man arrested in connection with baby’s death

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UPDATE: 3:30 p.m.: ABC 17 News obtained court documents detailing the charges and arrest of Matthew Hamm.

An investigation into the death of a child began on May 31. The investigation was initiated after the child’s mother reported she believed Hamm killed their 19-month-old child.

Moniteau County Sheriff Tony Wheatley said Hamm was outside his home when deputies arrived. Wheatley said Hamm told them the child was deceased and on the property.

According to police reports, investigators were granted a search warrant for Hamm’s home in Fortuna in Moniteau County. While searching the property, officers recovered skeletal remains of a child consistent with the body size of the child. Remains were found inside the home and outside the home in a burn pit on the property.

Court documents say Hamm initially told investigators the child had “choked and died and didn’t know what to do so he decided to burn the body.” Documents say Hamm never called or notified law enforcement about the death, “but instead, burned the body and concealed the remains on his property.”

During Hamm’s second interview with investigators, documents say Hamm told investigators the day the child died he was aggravated that “he was stuck at home and that a family member had not showed up to get the child.”

The documents say Hamm told police the child had been playing in an area Hamm didn’t want him to be. Hamm told investigators the child went into the kitchen and spilled a bowl of water. Hamm said he got upset and picked up a “large plastic, hospital like mug and swung the mug and struck” the child the child in the right temple.

Documents say Hamm hit the child hard enough that the mug broke into two pieces.

Hamm told investigators the child looked like he was having a seizure and took him to the kitchen sink and began splashing water onto the child’s face.

Documents say Hamm then took the child to the bedroom and laid down with him for an unknown period of time. “When Hamm woke up, he described the child as cold to the touch.”

Hamm then told police he hid the body in the burn pile. He told police he “realized he needed to do something with the body before it began to smell so he burned the body.”

Sheriff Wheatley said they had been at Hamm’s residence in April in connection to a theft from Morgan County. At that time, Wheatley said they arrested Hamm and another woman for the robbery and possession of meth. Wheatley said the child was there during that arrest.

Wheatley said forensic testing will be needed to determine the day the child died but investigators have narrowed it down to May 5 through May 10.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control is assisting with the investigation.

Hamm is charged with first-degree-murder and abandonment of a corpse. He has a $1 million cash-only bond.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Moniteau County Sheriff’s Department has arrested a man in the death of a baby.

Matthew Hamm, 35, of Fortuna, is being held at the Moniteau County Jail on a $1 million cash-only bond.

Deputies were notified Wednesday night of a concerned relative who believed that Hamm had killed an infant. Deputies went to Hamm’s home in the 35000 block of Morgan Street. A preliminary investigation showed the home contained an infant’s remains. Deputies arrested Hamm without incident.

At the request of Sheriff Tony Wheatley, the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control started to investigate the death.

Preliminary investigation indicated the infant’s death was a possible homicide.

Prosecutor Shayne Healea charged Hamm with first-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse.

An autopsy is scheduled Friday in Columbia. Authorities said further forensic examination will be needed to positively identify the remains.

The investigation will be continued by the Moniteau County Sheriff’s Office and investigators from the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Moniteau County Sheriff’s Office at 573-796-2525.