AMES, Iowa — A Marshalltown man accused of beating a child to death in Ames last year has entered a not guilty plea. Court records show 24-year-old Tyler Lee Zeuthen filed the plea earlier this week ahead of his scheduled arraignment on Monday, November 10.
According to Ames Police, the investigation began in November 2024 when officers responded to a report of an unresponsive child. Despite life-saving efforts by medical staff and the Ames Fire Department, the child was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Authorities say medical personnel observed multiple bruises on the child’s body, prompting a criminal investigation. An autopsy later determined the child died from fatal internal injuries consistent with blunt-force trauma.
Zeuthen has been charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment resulting in death. He remains held pending trial…