Ashlen Zitel of Beatrice was in Gage County Court on Tuesday to decide if there would be a preliminary hearing for her on suspicion of two child abuse charges and to have two more charges added. Zitel, who turns 28 this week, was arrested Sept. 7 along with Austin Meyn of Beatrice in connection with the death of a 4-month-old in August. Zitel faces a felony charge of negligent child abuse that causes death and a misdemeanor charge of negligent child abuse in that case. During Tuesday's court appearance, a second case was brought against her alleging sexual assault of a minor child, a Class 1 felony, and intentional child abuse, a Class 3 felony. Meyn, the other person arrested in the death of the 4-month-old, recently had his case bound over to Gage County District Court, where he will face a charge of committing intentional child abuse resulting in death.
