A Fayette County man has been charged in his daughter’s death.
The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office says 33-year old Joshua Rueben Christen of Postville is charged with Child Endangerment Causing Death. The charge comes following an eleven-month investigation by the Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the DCI, state and county medical examiner’s offices and the Fayette County Attorney’s Office.
Authorities say they were called to a home on 245th Street north of Elgin last September for a report of a four-month old female unresponsive and not breathing. The child was transported to a West Union hospital, where she died.
An investigation determined that Christen was under the influence of a narcotic while caring for the child. An autopsy revealed that the baby had methamphetamine in her system when she died.
The Sheriff’s Office says it was determined that Christen knowingly acted in a manner that led to the baby’s asphyxiation.
Christen has been in the Fayette County Jail since May on unrelated charges and is awaiting his initial appearance in court on the new charges. If convicted, he could face up to 50 years in prison.
This case remains under investigation and more charges may be filed at a later date.
