Posted on

Trial dates set in death of Alta Vista baby

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Trial dates have been set for the mother and father of an Alta Vista baby found dead in a swing in the couple’s apartment in August.

Cheyanne Renae Harris and Zachary Paul Koehn
Cheyanne Renae Harris and Zachary Paul Koehn

The Iowa Courts website shows that the jury trial for Zachary Paul Koehn, 28, has been set for Wednesday, Jan. 3, in Chickasaw County District Court, with a pretrial conference set for Dec. 19.

The jury trial for Cheyanne Renae Harris, 20, is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 31, in Chickasaw County District Court, with a pretrial conference scheduled for Jan. 16.

District Court Judge Richard Stochl has been assigned to handle both cases.

Both parents have been charged with child endangerment resulting in death and first-degree murder in connection with the death of their 4-month-old son, Sterling Daniel Koehn, who was found by emergency personnel dead in a swing on Aug. 30, after Koehn called 911, saying the boy was not responsive.

The two were arrested and charged on Oct. 25 after an investigation by the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner.

Both Koehn and Harris have entered pleas of not guilty.

A state medical examiner’s report said the child weighed less than 7 pounds and had not had a diaper change, a bath or been removed from the swing seat in more than a week. It said the child’s body and clothing contained maggots.

Koehn is being held in the Chickasaw County Jail. Harris is being held in the Bremer County Jail.

Social Share

LATEST NEWS