Beatrice man pleads guilty in baby’s death, sexual assault of 15-year-old

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A Beatrice man was convicted Tuesday in the death of a baby and the sexual assault of a 15-year-old.

Austin Meyn, 28, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and two counts of intentional child abuse without injury in the infant’s death.

Manslaughter is a lower charge than intentional child abuse resulting in death, which is what Meyn was initially facing.

SEE ALSO: Beatrice woman pleads not guilty in son’s death, sexual assault of teen

Under the plea deal, charges were also amended in a separate case against Meyn.

In that case, he pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault, which was reduced from first-degree sexual assault of a child. A count of child abuse was also dismissed.

In August, Meyn was watching his girlfriend’s 4-month-old baby boy and got frustrated because of his crying, according to court documents.

Police said Meyn intentionally limited the baby’s oxygen by laying him face down on a bed in an effort to stop the crying.

The boy stopped breathing and was taken to a hospital, where he died.

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An autopsy also revealed that the baby had “non-accidental trauma,” according to an arrest affidavit, including broken ribs and bleeding in the brain.

Authorities said those findings were consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Meyn’s girlfriend, 28-year-old Ashlen Zitel, was also charged in the case because police said she knew about Meyn’s methods but did not question them.

She took a plea deal in January and was sentenced in March to jail and probation.

SEE ALSO: Beatrice woman gets jail time and probation in son’s death, sexual assault of teen

While they were in custody in the child abuse case, Meyn and Zitel were charged in the sexual assault of a 15-year-old.

Court documents say they assaulted the teen between March and August 2024.

Zitel reached a plea agreement in that case, too, pleading guilty to intentional child abuse in exchange for prosecutors dropping a charge of first-degree sexual assault of a child.

She also received jail and probation for that crime.

In both cases, her jail terms will be served in 30-day increments over the next several years.

SEE ALSO: Beatrice woman pleads guilty to lesser charges in son’s death, sexual assault of teen

In another twist, Meyn’s mother was charged in April with witness tampering and two counts of contempt of court.

Police said Kristina Meyn facilitated communication between her son and Zitel, in violation of a court order.

But under Austin Meyn’s plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the charges against his mother.

SEE ALSO: Beatrice woman sent to district court on witness tampering, contempt charges

No additional charges will be pursued, the plea agreement says.

Meyn is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 17 in Gage County District Court.