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

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A Beatrice woman is now locked up in the same jail as her son.

Kristina Meyn is accused of letting her son, 27-year-old Austin Meyn, communicate with others involved in his case — in violation of a court order.

The mother, 48, was arrested Saturday on a charge of witness tampering and two counts of contempt of court.

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

Austin Meyn has been held in the Gage County Jail since August.

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

Court documents allege that to stop the boy’s crying, he intentionally limited his oxygen by laying him face down on a bed.

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

Meyn is also charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child and child abuse in a separate case involving a 15-year-old.

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

She took a plea deal and was sentenced to six years of probation and 180 days in jail. She will serve the jail time in 30-day increments over the next several years.

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

In November, a judge ordered Meyn to have no contact, “either directly or indirectly,” with Zitel or her 2-year-old child.

But court documents say on several phone calls, Kristina Meyn facilitated her son’s communication with both of them.

In a call on April 5, Kristina Meyn said her “daughter with the red hair … hint hint” was with her, according to an arrest affidavit.

She later described the woman’s hair as half red and half black, the affidavit says, which matches Zitel’s appearance in her booking photo last year.

The woman later spoke to Austin Meyn from the background, and police said an officer recognized the voice as Zitel’s.

“I know who’s there,” Autin Meyn eventually said.

His mother responded, “We are breaking rules,” according to the affidavit.

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

The next day, Meyn told his mother that he was not supposed to have direct or indirect contact with Zitel.

But on April 10, the mother and son were on the phone again, and Kristina Meyn said a woman named Sally was with her.

When “Sally” spoke in the background, an officer once again recognized the voice as Zitel, police said.

On April 10, Zitel spoke directly with Austin Meyn on the phone, according to the affidavit.

And police said Zitel’s 2-year-old child could be heard in multiple phone calls between the Meyns.

On Monday, a judge set Kristina Meyn’s bond at $50,000. Her next court appearance is set for May 1.

Her son is due back in court on Thursday.