Preliminary hearing held for four adults charged with felony child abuse
December 31, 2020
Shana Harter
On December 22, 2020, a preliminary hearing was held for four people charged with felony child abuse. Before the hearing, Stone County prosecuting attorney, Matt Selby, filed amended charges for each of the defendants: Dessa A. Barton, 26, W. Dalton McLendon, 26, Katherine Kost, 56, and Richard A Hilliker, 52, with seven felony counts of pleaded not guilty charges of Child Neglect, Child Abuse (2 counts), Child Endangerment (3 counts), and Kidnapping. Each of those charges is a Class B felony crime that carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years. Each of the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the hearing, Bobby Lamborn testified that he was the father of C.L., who was born on December 22, 2015. Lamborn told the court that in February 2019, he lived with C.L. and his mother in Phelps County. The prosecution showed a video of the child helping his aunt make cookies over the Christmas holiday that year. C.L. appeared to a healthy, happy child in that video. Lamborn testified further that in January 2020, he had to serve a few days in jail on a probation violation. Upon release, Lamborn learned that C.L.’s mother, Dessa Barton, had taken the child to where she was living in Stone County.
Deputies responded to a 911 call of an unresponsive child in a home at 5119 State Highway K, near Billings, on November 6, 2020. EMS took the child to a Springfield hospital by EMS, then airlifted to a Kansas City Hospital.
Medical evidence presented by Selby indicated that the child suffered severe physical and emotional injuries due to abuse and neglect.
Stone County Detective Matt Maggard testified that when he responded to the call on November 6, he noticed a crate made from pallets and that the crate contained a blanket. Maggard also tested that he found photographs of C.L. on Barton’s phone from January 2020 in which he appeared healthy. There was also a video madein late October 2020 where C.L. looked extremely thin and unhealthy.
Selby showed photos of the crate as well as blankets and a child’s clothing. Stone County detectives testified that McLendon had denied using the crate for the child, saying it was used for a dog instead.
Frank Duren, another Stone County detective, testified that he also assisted with the investigation. He received information at the hospital that C.L was severely malnourished and had injuries consistent with abuse.
Duren served two search warrants on the home. During the first search, he discovered that a bathroom door had a latch on the outside. Duren located cell phones and a leather belt from the residence. When Duren returned on the second warrant to seize the crate, he found a bowl and spoon under the floor of the crate and what appeared to be a child’s clothing and shoes in leaves next to the crate.
Detective Brian Landreth, the lead detective in the case, testified concerning multiple interviews with each defendant. Statements and messages indicated that the subjects knew that the child was not eating and that he had injuries; however, no one had ever sought medical attention for the child. Hilliker and Kost both admitted that the child was kept in the crate overnight sometimes. There was also evidence that indicated that the child was locked in the bathroom for hours at a time.
Judge Blankenship found that probable cause existed that felony crimes had been committed involving each of the defendants. All four defendants are scheduled for arraignment in Circuit Court on January 4, 2021.
On December 22, 2020, a preliminary hearing was held for four people charged with felony child abuse. Before the hearing, Stone County prosecuting attorney, Matt Selby, filed amended charges for each of the defendants: Dessa A. Barton, 26, W. Dalton McLendon, 26, Katherine Kost, 56, and Richard A Hilliker, 52, with seven felony counts of pleaded not guilty charges of Child Neglect, Child Abuse (2 counts), Child Endangerment (3 counts), and Kidnapping. Each of those charges is a Class B felony crime that carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years. Each of the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
At the hearing, Bobby Lamborn testified that he was the father of C.L., who was born on December 22, 2015. Lamborn told the court that in February 2019, he lived with C.L. and his mother in Phelps County. The prosecution showed a video of the child helping his aunt make cookies over the Christmas holiday that year. C.L. appeared to a healthy, happy child in that video. Lamborn testified further that in January 2020, he had to serve a few days in jail on a probation violation. Upon release, Lamborn learned that C.L.’s mother, Dessa Barton, had taken the child to where she was living in Stone County.
Deputies responded to a 911 call of an unresponsive child in a home at 5119 State Highway K, near Billings, on November 6, 2020. EMS took the child to a Springfield hospital by EMS, then airlifted to a Kansas City Hospital.
Medical evidence presented by Selby indicated that the child suffered severe physical and emotional injuries due to abuse and neglect.
Stone County Detective Matt Maggard testified that when he responded to the call on November 6, he noticed a crate made from pallets and that the crate contained a blanket. Maggard also tested that he found photographs of C.L. on Barton’s phone from January 2020 in which he appeared healthy. There was also a video madein late October 2020 where C.L. looked extremely thin and unhealthy.
Selby showed photos of the crate as well as blankets and a child’s clothing. Stone County detectives testified that McLendon had denied using the crate for the child, saying it was used for a dog instead.
Frank Duren, another Stone County detective, testified that he also assisted with the investigation. He received information at the hospital that C.L was severely malnourished and had injuries consistent with abuse.
Duren served two search warrants on the home. During the first search, he discovered that a bathroom door had a latch on the outside. Duren located cell phones and a leather belt from the residence. When Duren returned on the second warrant to seize the crate, he found a bowl and spoon under the floor of the crate and what appeared to be a child’s clothing and shoes in leaves next to the crate.
Detective Brian Landreth, the lead detective in the case, testified concerning multiple interviews with each defendant. Statements and messages indicated that the subjects knew that the child was not eating and that he had injuries; however, no one had ever sought medical attention for the child. Hilliker and Kost both admitted that the child was kept in the crate overnight sometimes. There was also evidence that indicated that the child was locked in the bathroom for hours at a time.
Judge Blankenship found that probable cause existed that felony crimes had been committed involving each of the defendants. All four defendants are scheduled for arraignment in Circuit Court on January 4, 2021.