CHILD-ABUSE TRIAL SET FOR SEPT. 20

HILLSBORO, Mo. -- Eric Schwepker will go on trial before a jury Sept. 20 on four felony charges of child abuse.

Schwepker, 30, of Cape Girardeau County is accused of severely beating his 12-year-old son. He has pleaded innocent to all charges.

Schwepker's trial date was set Monday following a hearing before a Jefferson County Circuit Court judge. The case has been moved out of Cape Girardeau County on a change of venue.

Schwepker faces a total maximum sentence of 28 years in prison if convicted of all four charges.

Schwepker was arrested in early February. Following the arrest, Cape Girardeau County sheriff's investigators said Schwepker had kicked the boy, smashed his toes with a claw hammer and struck the boy with both a belt and a baseball bat.