A Jefferson City man has been placed on five years supervised probation in connection with a child abuse case from April.
Richard Collier, 40, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of endangering the welfare of a child during a hearing Wednesday before Cole County Presiding Judge Pat Joyce. He had been charged with felony abuse or neglect of a child.
The alleged abuse occurred in the 700 block of Maple Street.
Collier said a boy was sitting in his lap and he tried to push the child off twice. He then used his right hand and hit the child in the side of the head, causing one of the child’s eyes to swell. Collier told officers he didn’t mean to hit the child.
Court records show Collier has a lengthy criminal history, including escaping from a correctional facility and indecent solicitation of a child.