HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The trial for a 29-year-old man charged with multiple counts of abuse of a child is underway in District Court.
Brent Burton is charged with two counts of abuse of a child or in the alternative, aggravated endangerment of a child, this involving two children, ages five and two and half.
The state alleges that on May 3, 2014, Burton was left in charge of the kids while the mother was away. He apparently fell asleep and the two kids left the home. He apparently woke up and the kids weren’t there. He then went looking for the kids and after finding them apparently punished them to the point, that the state alleges abuse. The children had bruising mainly on their buttocks, but also on their arms. The state alleges that Burton extended inhuman and corporal punishment.
On the stand Tuesday afternoon was an elementary teacher at Lincoln who reported the possible abuse and told of her findings on the body of the little boy.
Police Sgt. Paul Sack who works as a detective in the juvenile division was also on the stand and told of the investigation and their belief that abuse had occurred. The state showed the jury photos that showed bruising on the boys right forearm where it appeared he had been grabbed the child. They also showed where the child had bruising on his buttocks and lower back.
The suspect during an interview with the detective indicated that Burton admitted that he may have added to the bruising of the kids, but says the boy had fallen a couple of times prior to that. Once, falling on a stump at Dillon Nature Center and the second at another park where he slipped coming out of a bathroom.
The trial is expected to continue into Wednesday.