Easton man convicted of child abuse, assault

EASTON, Md. – An Easton man has been convicted of child abuse and related charges stemming from an investigation that began last year.

The investigation began as a result of allegations that Earl Kautz abused a one-year-old boy and assaulted a 13-year-old girl.

The trial included eyewitness testimony of the 13-year-old and her mother, as well as expert medical testimony, leading the judge to find Kautz guilty on all charges, including two counts of first degree child abuse, one count of second degree child abuse, two counts of second degree assault, and one count of reckless endangerment.

Evidence showed that the 13-year-old was interviewed by Talbot County Social Services on May 9, 2023, after which the boy, who was 18 months old at the time, was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital for a skeletal survey. This survey and a second survey two weeks later showed that the child had healing fractures in both of the child’s tibias, which were deemed highly indicative of non-accidental injury.

Witnesses at the trial testified to seeing Kautz shaking the child on multiple occasions in 2022 and seeing bruising on the child’s body when he returned from visitations with Kautz.

Kautz is scheduled for sentencing in June.