A Jonesboro man is behind bars after multiple children reported months of alleged sexual and physical abuse, according to local reporting. The 28-year-old suspect is being held in the Grant County Jail in a case investigators describe as graphic and long-running.
Charges and booking
According to WKRC, 28-year-old Joshua Chasteen was arrested and faces 20 felony counts. The charges include domestic battery causing serious injury (Level 3), child molesting (Level 4), criminal confinement (Level 5), domestic battery (Level 5), strangulation (Level 6) and torturing or mutilating an animal (Level 6). He was booked into the Grant County Jail pending further court proceedings.
Victims' accounts describe confinement and starvation
According to WXIN, four children, each described as younger than 12, came forward on Jan. 2 and accused Chasteen of repeatedly locking them in a basement, giving them only "crumbs" to eat and physically abusing them. One child reportedly became so weak that they lost consciousness. The oldest alleged victim told investigators he was sent out to buy concealer to cover bruises and said Chasteen threatened to kill the children if they told anyone about the abuse.
Allegations include killing and poisoning animals
Documents reviewed by investigators state that the children also reported witnessing Chasteen kill and abuse animals in front of them, according to WKRC. One child alleged the suspect snapped a kitten's neck and fed rat poison to other cats, and said a dog that tried to protect the children was repeatedly kicked. Chasteen's wife reportedly told investigators she had occasionally seen him whip the children and noticed bruises, but said she believed his denials and was working about 110 hours a week, which she said left her too exhausted to look into it further.
Suspect denies claims, issued threats
When investigators contacted Chasteen by phone on Jan. 12, he denied the accusations and claimed the children had been pressured into making statements, according to WXIN. He then allegedly told officials, "I don't care. If I am going to jail for no reason, I am going to make sure it is for a reason." Local reporting states he was later arrested and booked into the Grant County Jail.
What the charges mean
Indiana's child molesting statute covers a range of conduct and commonly treats fondling or touching a child under 14 as a Level 4 felony. Strangulation and certain domestic battery offenses fall under separate statutes and can carry higher penalties depending on the circumstances. For more detail, see the statute on child molesting at FindLaw and the battery chapter at Justia.
Reporting and next steps
The mother of one alleged victim told investigators she had contacted the Department of Child Services several times before law enforcement stepped in. Reporting indicates Chasteen left Indiana to stay with his mother in Florida after the initial interviews. The Indiana Department of Child Services' Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline is 1-800-800-5556. Authorities say anyone with information should contact local law enforcement or DCS. Chasteen remains in the Grant County Jail as the case moves through the local court system.
