Kearney Man pleads no contest in child abuse case

Kearney Police Department

A Kearney man has pleaded no contest to child abuse charges stemming from injuries sustained by a one-year-old girl. Jacob Ellingson, 25, entered the plea on December 4, 2024, and was convicted of attempted child abuse resulting in serious injury and intentional child abuse. He faces sentencing on February 7, 2025, with potential penalties totaling up to 23 years in prison.

The case began in early September 2023 when Kearney police responded to a report of a child struggling to breathe. The child was transported to a local hospital and later life-flighted to Omaha with serious injuries. Investigators determined the injuries were criminal in nature. Ellingson evaded authorities for about a week before being captured north of Kearney.

Court records detailing the circumstances remain sealed, but Ellingson’s plea deal reduced one charge from intentional child abuse to attempted child abuse. The incident has raised significant concern in the community about the safety and protection of children.