(Kenosha County Sheriff)
SOMERS, Wis. — A Kenosha man is again in custody after failing to appear in court on a felony child neglect charge connected to a disturbing incident where his 18-month-old daughter was hospitalized and tested positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.
Zachary Alexander Chute, 21, was originally charged on May 1, 2024, with one count of child neglect resulting in bodily harm, a Class H felony. The charge followed an April 29, 2024, incident at a home in the Village of Somers that prompted an emergency medical response.
According to the criminal complaint, Kenosha County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 12:30 a.m. on April 30 after receiving a call about an unresponsive child. They arrived to find the toddler, WMC, lying on her back on a couch in the basement with her eyes and mouth closed, arms bent rigidly at the elbows, jaw clenched, and body twitching slightly. The child was unconscious and unresponsive to stimuli. Family members said she had no history of seizures, allergies, or other medical issues that might explain her condition.
The child was rushed by ambulance to Froedtert South in Pleasant Prairie. While undergoing treatment, medical staff confirmed she had THC in her system.
Deputies spoke with the child’s mother and great-aunt, who reported that Chute, the child’s father, had been caring for her earlier that day while the mother was at work. The mother and Chute share no formal custody arrangement, but they had an informal understanding about visitation. Chute reportedly picked up the child in the early afternoon and took her to his Kenosha apartment.
Later that evening, he brought the toddler to the aunt’s home, where she reportedly began vomiting around 9 p.m. and appeared unusually tired, with “slanted” eyes. Chute placed her in a playpen and left for his overnight job. Around 11:30 p.m., the mother arrived to pick up her daughter and visited with her aunt for nearly an hour before going downstairs to retrieve the child. At that point, the toddler was found unresponsive and in a stiff, abnormal position. 911 was called immediately.
During the investigation, Chute first denied any recent marijuana use, but after being confronted with the test results and a conversation the mother reported having with him, he admitted to using THC more recently than he initially claimed. He also admitted that marijuana products were still in his car and home. Deputies recovered two empty vape cartridges from his vehicle in the hospital parking lot, which Chute acknowledged once contained THC. He also confessed to having marijuana at his residence.
Chute was released after posting a $1,000 bail following his initial court appearance. However, on October 2, 2024, he failed to appear in court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest with an increased bail of $2,500.
He returned to court yesterday, where Court Commissioner William Michel II set a new $2,500 cash bail. As of press time, Chute remains in custody. The Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office asked for a $100,000 cash bail.
Chute faces up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted. The felony charge—neglecting a child with resulting bodily harm—requires the prosecution to prove that his negligence led to the child’s exposure to drug use and caused actual harm.
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5 Responses
Dumbass
A message for young women: You might want to think twice about the type of, ahem, “man” you’ll have fathering your children.
The neglect by the dad makes me want to throw up. This poor child is a victim of careless dumbass parents.
These dumb whores don’t…..
Send him back to Mexico.
How do we get rid of Michel, DA wants $100,000 bond he comes up with $2500 bond??