A 31-year-old man named Austin Hendrick has been arrested and charged with child abuse without injury after a 15-month-old baby under his care was discovered in a ditch with insect bites. The incident occurred on October 4, 2025, when a concerned citizen alerted the police about the child’s situation. Upon arrival, an officer found the child in good health but with bug bites, a full diaper, and a rash. The baby was promptly taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.
Shortly after, another witness informed the authorities that they had received a call from Hendrick, who claimed to be searching for the missing child he had been babysitting. Hendrick alleged that he believed the child had been taken from his residence, located about a mile and a half away from where she was found. According to a search warrant affidavit, Hendrick mentioned that he had briefly left to feed his dogs, and upon returning, discovered the front door open and the child missing.
The incident took place on South Marian Road in rural Adams County, just outside Hastings, a city approximately 110 miles southwest of Lincoln, US. Law enforcement has refrained from disclosing any details about the child involved, citing privacy concerns.
In a separate case, a couple, Jeanne Kay Whitefeather and Donald Lantz, received severe sentences after their adopted children were discovered enduring inhumane treatment. The children were subjected to standing for hours and sleeping on concrete floors. Whitefeather was sentenced to a maximum of 215 years in prison, while Lantz received a sentence of up to 60 years. The couple was found guilty of multiple charges including forced labor, human trafficking, and child abuse and neglect.
Whitefeather was also convicted of civil rights violations based on race. The sentencing judge, Maryclaire Akers, emphasized the couple’s lack of remorse and condemned their actions, stating that they had turned a place known as “Almost Heaven” into hell for the children. The judge concluded by pronouncing a harsh sentence and expressing the hope that God would show mercy on their souls.