A Bluffs man accused of child abuse landed back in jail Wednesday after a warrant containing two new felony charges was issued.
Leslie Kennedy Sr., 73, now faces two counts of child endangerment causing bodily injury, in addition to initially filed charges of domestic abuse by strangulation, two counts of child endangerment causing serious injury and a misdemeanor count of false imprisonment, according to the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s office.
Kennedy was first arrested on Dec. 16 last year and held until the end of the month, when he posted a $20,000 bond with a 10% release option. Appearing before a county court judge Thursday, the defendant was released on a personal recognizance bond after being ordered to appear back in court for a Feb. 16 preliminary hearing relating to the two new charges, according to a Pottawattamie County Jail booking representative.
Court records show the original four charges stem from a Dec. 10 incident, while the two new charges occurred on Nov. 26.
In early December, the Council Bluffs Police Department received information that children were being abused at a home in the 1800 block of Tostevin Street, according to an arrest affidavit. Court records show one minor alleged abuse reported to school officials, to his or her father and a church pastor that Kennedy recently choked another family member.
As a result of an investigation, three children were placed in protective custody on Dec. 10. One child interviewed at Children’s Square disclosed that after making a gingerbread house on a recent day, Kennedy allegedly became upset with two children for making a mess and proceeded to grab one by the neck and strangle the child against a table.
Court records show another adult intervened to end the alleged incident.
During the course of the investigation, police reported that all three children claimed Kennedy choked them during the past three years. In addition, court records indicate that one child was allegedly duct-taped to a chair on at least one occasion as a form of punishment, while having his or her mouth taped shut.
As previously reported by the Nonpareil, the arrests are unrelated to the murder investigation of Kimberly Ratliff, Kennedy’s step-daughter, who was found murdered inside of a vehicle positioned along West Broadway in January 1999.
Kennedy’s son, Matt, was arrested in October and charged with first-degree murder. Matt Kennedy’s jury trial is scheduled for Feb. 2.
Two felony charges added in case of alleged child abuse
A Bluffs man accused of child abuse landed back in jail Wednesday after a warrant containing two new felony charges was issued.
