Jefferson City man charged with child abuse

A Jefferson City man faces child abuse charges after an incident last week.

Joshua Dunmire was charged in Cole County with abuse or neglect of a child and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

A Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement stated officers were dispatched to a residence in Jefferson City for reports of a disturbance. A child at the residence said Dunmire had hit him on the side of the head, knocking him against the wall and ground before throwing him onto a bed. The child said Dunmire struck him with a closed fist several times.

A witness reported seeing the strikes to the face.

Dunmire told authorities he was disciplining the child and admitted to striking him, but only once. He stated he shouldn't have done it, according to the statement.