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

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A judge found probable cause on Thursday to try a Beatrice woman on charges of interfering in a case against her son.

Gage County Judge Jeffrey Gaertig transferred the case against Kristina Meyn, 48, to district court.

Meyn is charged with witness tampering and two counts of contempt of court.

SEE ALSO: ‘We are breaking rules’: Court docs say Beatrice woman let son talk with co-defendant

Court documents say she violated a court order by letting her son, 27-year-old Austin Meyn, communicate with others involved in his case.

The younger Meyn is charged with intentional child abuse in the death of his girlfriend’s 4-month-old baby.

Police allege that he laid the baby face down on a bed to get him to stop crying, limiting the boy’s oxygen.

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

He is also facing charges of first-degree sexual assault of a child and child abuse in a separate case involving a 15-year-old.

Meyn has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is due back in court on June 18.

His girlfriend, 28-year-old Ashlen Zitel, was also charged in both cases.

She pleaded guilty to reduced charges and got six years of probation and 180 days in jail. The jail time will be served in 30-day increments over the next several years.

SEE ALSO: Beatrice couple accused in baby’s death charged with sexual abuse in separate case

A judge barred Austin Meyn, who is in jail, from having contact “either directly or indirectly” with Zitel or her 2-year-old child.

But court documents allege that between November and April, Kristina Meyn facilitated communication between them multiple times.

On one occasion, Zitel and Austin Meyn spoke directly on the phone, according to an arrest affidavit.

Kristina Meyn is set to be arraigned in Gage County District Court on June 11.

SEE ALSO: Bond set at $1 million for Beatrice man accused in baby’s death