By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A St. Joseph man being held on a charge that he killed his six-year-old daughter has died of injuries suffered late last week during a suicide attempt at the Buchanan County jail.
Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett reports Dustin Beechner was discovered late last week in very serious condition from self-inflicted injuries. Jail staff performed emergency medical treatment before rushing him to the hospital. He died of those injuries this morning. Beechner was 37.
Puett says Beechner had been under close watch at the jail.
“He had been in suicide prevention protocols through Friday and he was evaluated by mental health practitioners and they determined at that time that he wasn’t a suicide risk,” according to Puett.
Beechner had been housed in the protective custody area of the jail after being cleared from suicide watch.
Puett says the circumstances of his death are under investigation.
“Well, obviously, we do a complete investigation into all factors and information related to any type of self-harm event that results in any type of injury or death,” Puett says.
Beechner’s body has been transported to Kansas City where the Jackson County coroner’s office will perform an autopsy.
Beechner had been jailed on a felony count of child abuse resulting in death for allegedly beating his six-year-old daughter, Jozlyn Marie Beechner. Authorities found Jozlyn’s body September 2nd on the roof of their St. Joseph home. She had been beaten to death with an aluminum bat.
Beechner was on probation for one of two past felony domestic assault convictions.
Story has been edited since first published for clarification.