Pomona, MO – A Pomona man has been charged with Abuse or Neglect of a Child and First-Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child following an investigation into an alleged domestic assault that took place over the weekend.
On July 29, 2025, Corporal Jacob R. Hamby of the Howell County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Private Road 1511 in Pomona to assist Missouri’s Children’s Division (CD) with a report of child abuse. The investigation stemmed from an incident reported to have occurred on July 26.
According to the Children’s Division, the suspect, Zachary Truett, allegedly assaulted his girlfriend, identified in the report as Witness1, during a domestic dispute. When Truett’s 12-year-old stepson, referred to as Victim1, attempted to intervene, Truett reportedly assaulted the child by placing his hands around the boy’s neck and choking him.
Truett denied any physical altercation, stating the argument was verbal only. However, interviews conducted by CD investigators with three of the four children living in the home, identified as Witness2, Witness3, and Victim1, reportedly confirmed the choking incident. Witness1 also told investigators over the phone that Truett pushed her to the ground multiple times and that she witnessed him choking Victim1.
Based on the interviews and circumstances, Corporal Hamby stated in his report that there is probable cause to believe Truett knowingly caused physical injury to a child under the age of 18 and created a substantial risk to the child’s health and safety.
