Clear Lake couple enter not guilty pleas to child endangerment charges

CLEAR LAKE — Separate December trial dates have been scheduled for a Clear Lake couple accused of child endangerment stemming from incidents that allegedly happened at their unregistered daycare.

A criminal complaint says a three-year-old boy left in the care of 55-year-old Kyle McLaughlin and 58-year-old Peggy McLaughlin went home in December 2016 with a welt and bruise on his lower back. He told his mother that Kyle McLaughlin had spanked him. The complaint says Peggy McLaughlin later told the mother that her husband had “swatted” the boy and another child and said it wouldn’t happen again.

Another criminal complaint says a 20-month-old girl suffered a fractured leg at the home in August 2017 and the McLaughlins didn’t seek medical assistance for her.

Kyle McLaughlin has been charged with two counts of child endangerment while Peggy McLaughlin is facing one count of child endangerment. Both were due in court for their arraignment hearings on Tuesday but instead they filed written not guilty pleas to the charges. Peggy McLaughlin’s trial is scheduled to start on December 3rd, while Kyle McLaughlin’s trial is scheduled to start on December 10th.

Each charge of child endangerment is an aggravated misdemeanor, punishable by up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $6250.