Orange City, Iowa — A Hawarden couple already facing felony charges of child endangerment after their 11-year-old told a teacher he was being abused — have been arrested on further charges.
According to Sioux County Jail records, 35-year-old Matthew Spaans and 33-year-old Nina Spaans were arrested on Thursday in Hawarden. Matthew Spaans faces seven additional felony counts of Abandonment or Neglect of a Dependent Person. Nina Spaans faces one count of that charge in addition to her original charge. Both also face additional assault charges.
Initially, Matthew Spaans was charged with three counts of Serious Assault Causing Bodily Injury, a serious misdemeanor; and both Matthew and Nina Spaans were charged with three counts each of Child Endangerment Causing Bodily Injury, a class D felony.
Both have entered “not guilty” pleas to the original charges.
A pretrial conference has been set for April 17th, with a jury trial scheduled for Tuesday, July 18th on the original charges. According to court records, no dates have yet been set for the additional charges.
The original charges were filed because authorities believe Matthew Spaans abused his 11-year-old stepson, causing injuries and that Nina Spaans told the boy to make up stories about how the injuries were received.
