Local man arrested for intentional child abuse

SIDNEY – Sidney Police Department (SPD) and Cheyenne County Attorney Paul Schaub announced the arrest of 36-year-old Jacob Havorka, a Sidney resident, on charges related to intentional child abuse.

SPD arrested Havorka on June 13, just after 9 p.m., after a report of potential child abuse was called into the station. Upon arriving to the residence, the responding officer escorted a women and children to the police department to speak to her about the incident which took place earlier.

According to the County Court of Cheyenne County arrest and detention probable cause affidavit, the 36-year-old woman said the incident began with her husband “scolding (redacted) for (redacted) recent behavior.”

During the verbal confrontation, the woman told police she got up from the kitchen table and went into the garage when she reportedly heard a “loud noise, and when she returned to the kitchen, she observed (redacted) in the corner of the room with Jacob (Havorka) standing in front of (redacted – the child).”

The arresting documents indicated the child left the residence and the 36-year-old woman went after the child and a short time later left with an officer to the police station. It was at that time the mother of the child informed police she caught the incident on camera from the residence indoor Ring camera.

“(Redacted) informed me (SPD officer) she observed Jacob (Havorka) push the kitchen table into (the child), causing (the child) to fall out of (the child's) chair and onto the floor,” the arresting affidavit details.

According to a detailed report from the officer, the officer noted Havorka yelling, using profanity, pushing the kitchen table into the child, striking the child, causing the child to fall out of their chair, the child hit their head on the wall as they fell to the floor, getting in the child's face and a number of other things listed in the arresting document.

Police documents indicate SPD also spoke to the child involved in the incident, to which the mother of the child and child were informed of the process and necessary items needed to make an arrest. The mother and child cooperated with law enforcement to provide a statement, the Ring camera footage and agreed to be interviewed by SPD.

At the conclusion of the interview, SPD informed the mother and the child they had enough to arrest Havorka.

Per the arresting documents, the arresting officer wrote, “I approached the front entrance door and knocked. I observed Jacob (Havorka) approach the door and he opened it. I proceeded to introduce myself to Jacob (Havorka) and informed him that I was placing him under arrest.”

Adding, “Jacob was cooperative as I placed him in my department issued hand restraints. I then double locked the hand restraints after checking them for tightness. Jacob was escorted to my marked patrol vehicle and placed in the rear passenger seat.”

Havorka is expected to be back in court in July.