Taney County Prosecuting Attorney, Jeffrey M. Merrell announced today that MARSHALL MILLER, dob: 07/14/1986 of Bull Creek, Missouri plead guilty without a plea agreement yesterday to the class C felony of abuse of a child in front of Taney County Circuit Judge Mark Orr. Formal sentencing is set for October 21, 2010.

On June 21, 2010 Taney County Deputies were dispatched to Liberty Drive in Bull Creek, Missouri in response to a report of child abuse. At the location deputies made contact with a two (2) year old female child who had multiple bruises and marks on her face. Deputies were originally told by MARSHALL MILLER that the injuries to the two (2) year old female were caused by her tripping and hitting her head on a BBQ grill. Through investigation, deputies were able to determine that the injuries to the two (2) year old juvenile where caused by the defendant, MARSHALL MILLER. Investigation showed MARSHALL MILLER struck the two (2) year old in the face multiple times.

Since there was no plea agreement in the plea of guilty, MARSHALL MILLER faces the entire range of punishment for abuse of a child. The class C felony of abuse of a child has a range of punishment of one day (1) to one year (1) in the Taney County Jail, or one (1) year to seven (7) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections and/or a fine not to exceed five-thousand (5,000) dollars.