Lincoln man arrested in connection with child’s death
LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska) – A Lincoln man arrested, initially on firearms offenses, will remain in custody after his possible involvement in the child abuse of a 22-month-old baby, which led to his death.
The LPD was called to CHI St. Elizabeth Hospital at approximately 4.20pm on Sunday for a report of a 22-month-old boy with signs of obvious abuse. The baby was delivered to Omaha Children’s Hospital for life for a higher level of care.
Police said the child died on Friday morning.
On Sunday, his mother told officers she put him down for a nap around noon and returned to find the boy unresponsive. The mother told police she had been dating Joshua Tackett, 32, since January and since then she has noticed numerous bruises and wounds on the boy on an almost daily basis.
The court documents go on to detail a story Tackett told the woman who passed out a few weeks ago and fell to the floor on top of the boy.
The woman has since reported that the boy had an injury to his leg and had been unable to walk, but told LPD she did not take him to the doctor for any treatment.
The report goes on to specify that the boy had fallen down the stairs three days before she took him to the hospital. Court documents said the woman told police the boy was tired and didn’t eat regularly during that time.
Since then, court documents show that the mother’s other children have been taken into state custody.
Lincoln Police have been conducting surveillance on Tackett since the boy was taken to the hospital on Sunday.
Court documents point out that during that time Tackett’s mother, Karen Vestecka, went to her apartment near 7th and “G” Streets and was seen leaving with items, including a green shotgun case.
Vestecka was later stopped by the police. Court documents state that at the time he told officers that he was taking firearms from his son’s apartment because he is a convicted felon and cannot legally possess them.
In the green case seen being taken from Tackett’s home, court documents say inside was a black Ruger AR .556 rifle that he told police he would keep at his home for the time being.
Police said Tackett was contacted at the Lancaster County Jail, where he remained in custody for a gun violation and was arrested for child abuse resulting in his death.
Tackett will appear on a weapons charge next month.
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