Belleville man arrested for alleged first-degree murder, child abuse after infant died

REPUBLIC COUNTY (KSNT) - The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has arrested a man in connection to a Belleville infant that died.

At 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 2, the KBI arrested William McLaughlin, 23, of Belleville, on a warrant for first-degree murder and felony abuse of a child. This is in connection to the death of McLaughlin's three-month-old daughter.

At first, the infant was taken to the Republic County Hospital on Christmas Day suffering fatal injuries. She was later pronounced dead at a hospital in Omaha, NE. on Dec. 29, 2024.

McLaughlin was initially booked into the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Jail in Nebraska. According to a Republic County Sheriff's Office, as of 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2 McLaughlin is at the Republic County Jail. According to the KBI, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office assisted in the arrest. At this time, an investigation is ongoing.

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