Father of boy pleads guilty to abuse

MONTICELLO, Mo. -- The father of a 16-year-old Heartland Christian Academy student pleaded guilty Thursday to child abuse for excessively spanking his son.

Meanwhile, four Heartland workers also charged in the case pleaded innocent.

James O'Rourke, 49, of Shelbyville, Mo., will be sentenced Dec. 6 in Lewis County. Trial dates will be set that same day for the four Heartland workers -- Charles Robert Patchin, 33, of Newark, Mo.; Eric Kiepke, 28, of Bethel, Mo.; Jon Simmons, 44, of La Belle, Mo.; and Michael K. Peterson, 36, of Newark.

Authorities said the boy was struck in the back, buttocks and legs more than 30 times with a wooden board on Feb. 15, 2000.

The case is one of three child-abuse cases brought against workers at Heartland, a school for troubled youths in a remote area of northeast Missouri. In one case, five Heartland workers face charges for forcing misbehaving youngsters to stand in manure pits as a form of punishment. In the other, a 19-year-old worker is accused of striking an unruly 13-year-old boy in the ear, causing the boy's eardrum to burst.

Heartland officials say they have a policy of strict discipline that includes spankings, but deny that any children have been abused.

The series of allegations prompted state officials last week to remove the 115 student residents at Heartland. Many have since returned.