Jefferson City teenager charged as adult after Callaway County death investigation

Robert Thomas
Robert Thomas

The Callaway County prosecutor's office has charged a 16-year-old as an adult following a recent death investigation of another 16-year-old.

Robert O. Thomas, 16, of Jefferson City, has been certified as an adult by the court, according to Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism.

Two other juveniles also were arrested but not certified as adults; therefore, their names were not released.

Callaway County Sheriff's Office deputies and investigators responded at 4:12 p.m. May 7 to a residence near Holts Summit for a death investigation involving a juvenile, Chism said. Upon arrival at 4:20 p.m., a deputy confirmed a juvenile was deceased within the residence.

The Sheriff's Office investigations unit initiated an extensive investigation, including executing a search warrant at the residence. The deceased juvenile was transported to the Boone-Callaway County Medical Examiner's Office in Columbia for autopsy.

The medical examiner ultimately ruled the death as the result of "oxycodone intoxication" - drug overdose.

In the following weeks, investigative reports, with request for criminal charges, were submitted to the Callaway County Juvenile Office referencing three juveniles from the Holts Summit area.

A juvenile certification hearing was held in Callaway County Juvenile Court for one of the juveniles July 24, which led to the certification of Thomas to stand trial as an adult.

The case then was referred to the Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney for prosecution.

Also July 24, the Callaway County Prosecuting Attorney charged Thomas with two felony counts of distribution of a controlled substance in a protected area (public park). Thomas was arrested and remains in the Callaway County Jail on a court-set bond of $60,000.

Thomas is charged with distribution of drugs at the North Jefferson Recreation Area, also known as the Noren River Access, located in the Callaway County portion of Jefferson City, according to the criminal complaint and probable cause statement.

Thomas allegedly admitted distributing Oxycotin pills to multiple individuals May 6 while at the Noren River Access, according to the probable cause statement. He said he had gotten them from another juvenile, who was interviewed and stated he had taken the drugs from his stepmother.

Information about how the child was exposed to the drugs was not immediately available; however, Chism said the victim and suspects were "teenage associates."

"We are unable to release further information due to the ongoing investigation," Chism said.

Two other juveniles have been detained as part of this investigation and remain in the custody of juvenile authorities. Whether certify juveniles as adults is a decision of the juvenile authorities and the court, not law enforcement.

Investigators determined the controlled substances had been stolen from an adult who lawfully possessed the substance via physician prescription.

The investigation is ongoing, and further juvenile and/or adult referrals could be made to the juvenile authorities and prosecuting attorney.