CALIFORNIA, Mo. (AP) — A 37-year-old central Missouri man who admitted killing his 1-year-old son and burning the body has been sentenced to life in prison.

Matthew Hamm, of Fortuna, was sentenced Thursday for second-degree murder and abandonment of a corpse in the boy’s May 2017 death.

He pleaded guilty in December in a plea deal that reduced the original first-degree murder charge.

The Jefferson City News-Tribune reports authorities found the boy’s skeletal remains inside Hamm’s home and in a burn pit on the property after the child’s mother notified police.

Hamm initially told authorities the boy died after choking. He later admitted hitting the boy after he spilled a bowl of water.

Hamm told authorities he was upset that a family member hadn’t shown up to take care of the baby.

TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man was indicted Thursday on charges of robbing two cash loan stores, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Derick Renee Crawford, 29, Topeka, was charged with two counts of commercial robbery. The indictment alleges Crawford committed the following robberies including Advance America, 2232 Louisiana Street in Lawrence, on Feb. 21 and Advance America, 1947 Northwest Topeka Blvd. in Topeka, on March 29.

If convicted, Crawford faces a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

LEBANON, Mo. (AP) — Several Missouri jail employees have been disciplined after an armed robbery suspect escaped by posing as another inmate and then was recaptured after crashing a stolen car while fleeing.

Laclede County Sheriff David Millsap says staff was to blame for failing to confirm Steven Joe Mitchell’s identify before releasing him. Millsap says no one was fired, but some employees were suspended without pay or reprimanded in writing. Release procedures also are being strengthened.

Mitchell now faces additional charges. And Millsap says that although the investigation into whether Mitchell had help is ongoing, he anticipates other inmates will face more charges as well.

He says the original story about Mitchell taking paperwork from an inmate who fell asleep while waiting to be released doesn’t appear to be true.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Vaccination opponents in Kansas have mobilized against a plan from the state health department to require more immunizations children in school and day care.

Dozens of them packed a public hearing on a regulation drafted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Standing room only as #Kansas citizens wait to listen and share their opinions on the proposed school #vaccine requirements. pic.twitter.com/o4qlf1xgk6

— Immunize Kansas Coalition (@ImmKSCoalition) June 27, 2019

The new rule would require children in school and day care to be vaccinated against meningitis and hepatitis A. The state already requires immunizations against polio, diphtheria, measles, German measles, whooping cough, mumps, chickenpox and hepatitis B. The change could take effect later this year, depending on how the department responds to comments.

The new rule would put Kansas in line with recommendations from the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, which guides vaccine use in the U.S. Kansas’ health department also pursued greater vaccination requirements amid outbreaks of measles, a disease easily prevented with a shot.

The new rule would preserve exemptions from vaccination mandates for medical or religious reasons, but many people in the hearing said the requirements give the government too much power. They also argued that vaccine skeptics are ignored and problems kept quiet.

“Vaccine science is tobacco science,” said Tasha Haas, a writing instructor at Kansas City Kansas Community College who spoke against the requirement.

Vaccine opponents said parents should decide whether their children are immunized and suggested that a recent Kansas Supreme Court decision protecting abortion rights gives people an absolute right to make their own medical decisions.

But health department spokeswoman Kristi Pankratz said the remarks at Thursday’s hearing are only a small portion of the comments that the agency has received about the rule in the past 60 days.

A handful of health advocates and health care professionals at Thursday’s hearing emphasized the importance of vaccines.

Gretchen Homan, a Wichita pediatrician and chairwoman of the Immunize Kansas Coalition, said children need to be able to attend school without fear of becoming sick from infectious disease.

“There are things in this world that we cannot change,” Homan said. “But the things I can protect them from, like infectious disease, I will make that choice.

MORRIS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating the theft of farm equipment from a rural business and asking the public for help identifying suspects.

On June 23, several vehicles were stolen from the Oleen Brothers’ Headquarters, a registered cow-calf and quarterhorse business in rural Dwight, according to the Morris County Sheriff. The items stolen included a Brown 3500 Dodge Ram Truck pulling an Aluminum EBY Trailer with the company’s Brand Logo on it, two 900 series Polaris Rangers (one with orange highlights and one with olive green) both with 60 gal. pressure water tanks, and a Red Ford F250 feed truck with a feed box on the back. The suspects reportedly arrived from White City on Highway 4. The vehicle they were driving appears to be a light colored Chevy Avalanche with dark trim.

If you have seen or have any information regarding the vehicles or the people responsible for this theft, please call the Sheriff @ 620-767-6310 or Arden Oleen @ 785-466-1422. Thank You

PINEVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A southwest Missouri man is charged after a man died about two weeks after being beaten with a baseball bat.

McDonald County Prosecutor Bill Dobbs charged 56-year-old Clarence Anderson, of Seneca, on Wednesday with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of 34-year-old Joshua Collier of Neosho.

Anderson’s girlfriend, 55-year-old Kathy Kay, is charged with hindering prosecution.

Dobbs said Collier was beaten when he argued with Anderson on April 19. Prosecutors say Dobbs left an injured Collier in an outbuilding overnight and the next day Kay and two others took Collier to his home in Neosho and left him there.

He was eventually found critically injured and died April 30 at a Joplin hospital.

No attorneys are listed for Anderson or Kay in online court records.

LINN COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Thursday in Linn County.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Chevy Van driven by Charlotte E. Copple, 76, Bucklin, was southbound on Highway 129 one mile north of Bucklin.

The van traveled into the path of a northbound 1999 Chevy pickup driven by Jerry L. Main, 63, Bucklin.
Copple was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Delaney Funeral Home.

Life Flight transported Main to University Hospital in Columbia. The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.