Bollinger County man pleads guilty to child abuse in throat-cutting case

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- William O. Chasteen of Marble Hill, who pleaded not guilty in April to five counts against him for an assault against a 7-year-old boy, changed his plea Friday to guilty in an arrangement worked out between his defense attorney and the state.

Bollinger County Prosecuting Attorney Steven Gray said this week that Chasteen had entered a guilty plea to child abuse. Charges of first-degree domestic assault with serious physical injury, armed criminal action, domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon were dropped.

"Child abuse is a Class B felony, and it is an open plea, meaning the judge will decide the sentence," Gray said. "The maximum penalty is 15 years in prison, the minimum is five."

Chasteen is scheduled to appear for sentencing July 19 in Bollinger County court in front of Judge William Syler. He remained in the Bollinger County Jail this week in lieu of a $75,000 cash-only bond.

Chasteen is accused of, among other things, cutting the child's throat with a knife.

Bollinger County authorities were alerted to the incident when Woodland school resource officer Stash Petton and Leslie Ulen of the Division of Family Services learned of the throat-cutting incident.

Further investigation revealed the April 8 incident was one of many the child had not told anyone about. Police said that in an interview, Chasteen reportedly said he and the boy had a contentious relationship and he wanted to "use a scare tactic that would make him listen." He admitted to putting his pocket knife to the child's throat while the child was in bed, telling him, "One day this was what would happen to him if he kept on talking back."

Pertinent address:

Marble Hill, MO