Southeast Nebraska couple charged with child abuse in baby’s death

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A Beatrice couple have been arrested in the death of a 4-month-old baby.

Austin Meyn and Ashlen Zitel, both 27, were booked into the Gage County Jail on Saturday on child abuse charges.

Zitel, the child’s mother, appeared in court Monday and was ordered to be held on a $250,000 bond.

The case began on Aug. 15, when first responders were sent to a home in Beatrice on a report of a 4-month-old boy not breathing.

The infant was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Meyn, Zitel’s boyfriend, was watching the baby and got frustrated because of his crying, according to an arrest affidavit.

Police said that to stop the crying, Meyn intentionally limited the boy’s oxygen by laying him face down on a bed.

Text messages show that Zitel knew of Meyn’s methods and did not question them, an affidavit says.

An autopsy also found that the baby had “non-accidental trauma,” according to court documents, including broken ribs and bleeding in the brain.

The Beatrice Police Department said the findings were consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Meyn is facing two felonies: intentional child abuse resulting in death and negligent child abuse resulting in death.

He is set to be arraigned in Gage County Court on Tuesday.

Zitel is charged with negligent child abuse resulting in death and child abuse with no injury, a misdemeanor.

She is due back in court Oct. 15.