After deliberating for almost 12 hours, a Kennett man was found guilty early today by a Dunklin County jury of assault and child abuse. Prosecuting Attorney Nicholas Jain said in a news release that 33 year old Matthew Thomas Estes, Jr. faces 10 to 30 years in prison on each charge.
Jain reported evidence presented at trial was that on the morning of April 26, 2016 Estes’ then girlfriend found her 21-month-old son with bruises all over his face and body, and his eye swollen shut. The child was diagnosed with three skull fractures and a buildup of blood on his brain, among other injuries. The doctor who examined the child testified at trial these injuries were life threatening and caused by multiple blows of blunt force trauma, a result of child abuse. Estes blamed the girlfriend during his testimony.
Judge Robert Mayer set a sentencing hearing for November 23.