A former Neelyville, Mo., man who had been accused of abusing his then 2-year-old daughter pleaded guilty Tuesday for a misdemeanor endangerment charge.
Accompanied by his attorney Katie New with the Public Defender's Office, Thomas Leeroy Moore was to appear before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett for a review of his case in which he was charged with two Class B felonies of child abuse.
Instead, Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Oesterreicher said, the 34-year-old pleaded guilty to the Class A misdemeanor of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child after the state filed an amended information with the court.
It alleged on May 14, 2014, Moore "acted with criminal negligence in a manner that created a substantial risk to the body and health of a child, less than 17 years old, by hitting said child."
After accepting Moore's plea, Pritchett sentenced him to 180 days in the Butler County jail and granted credit for all the time he already had served.
"He spent over six months in the county jail" while waiting trial, said Oesterreicher, who indicated Moore's plea and sentence were "agreed upon between the parties."
The outcome was "not the result I would have liked, but I had witness problems," Oesterreicher said.
Moore was supposed to stand trial on Oct. 4, but the state's "main witness did not show for trial," Oesterreicher said.
That witness was Moore's ex-wife, Misty Moore, who reportedly contacted Oesterreicher on Oct. 3 and told him she was out of state and would not be back for the trial.
Misty Moore, after having been granted immunity, testified at her then husband's preliminary hearing in 2014.
At that time, she alleged her husband had struck their daughter with an open hand and belt, leaving several bruises and red marks on her body.
The woman also accused him of dumping cold water on her, urinating on her, wiping her face with a dirty diaper, calling her names and telling her she should be dead instead of her twin brother, who died at 4 months old.
During the hearing, the woman also admitted to not seeking help for her daughter or telling anyone about the alleged abuse out of fear of her husband.
Also testifying during Moore's preliminary hearing was a Poplar Bluff pediatrician, who indicated the toddler had suffered what she classified as severe abuse.
The child, the doctor said, had what she described as multiple areas of bruising, as well as multiple areas that looked red.
The doctor further said "pattern bruising" was found on parts of the toddler's body, including linear lines, which crisscrossed her chest.
The doctor confirmed the toddler's injuries could have created a substantial risk of death due to the possibility of abdominal trauma, such as a lacerated liver or spleen. Blood clots also were possible, she said.