Judge to rule if abuse trial will proceed

MONTICELLO, Mo. -- A judge said he will likely rule today on whether five men accused of making troubled youths stand in manure pits should stand trial on felony child abuse charges.

Lewis County Judge Garry Lewis told prosecutors and defense attorneys after Tuesday's preliminary hearing that he still needed to review the evidence.

Five men associated with the Heartland Community Center face charges for allegedly punishing troubled youths at the center by making them stand in and shovel animal waste.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jake DeCoster said he is confident that all five men will have to stand trial.

The men charged are: Charles Robert Patchin, 33, of Newark, a grandson of Heartland founder Charles Sharpe and a member of the Heartland board of directors, 19 counts; Heartland board member Eric David Kiepke, 28, of Bethel, seven counts; Heartland staff member Michael K. Peterson, 36, of Newark, 10 counts; Heartland staffer Farah Avusaada of Steffenville, one count; and Heartland staffer Ronald G. Osbon Jr., 23, of Labelle, 13 counts.

The five were arrested in June and accused of various roles in sending 11 teens who misbehaved at Heartland into concrete-lined pits to shovel animal manure.

One pit contained solid and liquid animal waste, animal afterbirth, and corn stalks.

The second pit was used to separate solid and liquid animal waste.