Man Found Guilty of Child Endangerment

Press Release:

On February 21, 2013, Kaleb Laatsch was found guilty of one count of Child Endangerment as charged in the Misdemeanor information.

The jury consisting of six men, deliberated for approximately one hour. Jacqueline K. Brown, Deputy Campbell County and Prosecuting Attorney and Lisa K. Finkey, Deputy Campbell County and Prosecuting Attorney prosecuted the case. Nicholas Carter was Mr. Laatsch’s attorney. The honorable Terrill. R. Tharp presided over the case. Sentencing has been scheduled for April 19, 2013 at 3:30PM.

Additional Information:

Laatsch had forgotten to drop off his son at a local day care on the morning of August  16, 2011. The Gillette Police Department responded a little after 4:00 that afternoon, after the child's mother found out the child was not at the day care. His parent's arrived at Kaleb's workplace moments apart, and the 9-month-old boy was located in his father's vehicle. Officers arrived on the scene to learn the child was unresponsive with labored breathing. 

A police affidavit said soon after the child was taken to Campbell County Memorial Hospital, officers learned the baby's temperature had reached 108 degrees. The child was later sent by Life Flight to Denver Children's Hospital.  He returned home on September 17, 2011 and is said to be recovering from traumatic brain injury.