Lincoln Police Make Arrest in Child Abuse Investigation

Published on March 17, 2023

On Sunday March 12, 2023, at approximately 4:20 p.m., Lincoln Police responded to St. Elizabeth Hospital on a report of a 22-month-old child being seen for injuries consistent with abuse. The child was found to have obvious signs of injury and transported to Children’s Hospital in Omaha for a higher level of care.

Lincoln Police Department investigators quickly collaborated with patrol officers to investigate this incident which led them to a residence near South 7th & G Streets, the home of 32-year-old Joshua Tackett. During the execution of a search warrant, investigators located a firearm in the residence. Tackett was not at the home at this time.

The following is the order of events:

• March 14, 2023 at approximately 10:24 a.m., Tackett was contacted at a residence near South 10th & Peach Streets where he was taken into custody and arrested for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
• March 17, 2023, at 11:17 a.m., the victim succumbed to his injuries.
• March 17, 2023, at 3:00 p.m., Tackett was contacted at the Lancaster County Jail where he remained in custody for the weapons violation and was arrested for Child Abuse Resulting in Death.
  
  

We would like to extend our condolences to the family members of the victim and ask the public to respect their privacy as they grieve the loss of their loved one.

This investigation is ongoing, and we encourage anyone with information about this incident to call 402.441.6000 or Crime Stoppers at 402.475.3600.