Trial Date Set For Aaron Thompson

CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- An Aurora man charged with fatal child abuse will be tried in November, exactly three years after his daughter's reported disappearance, the judge ruled Wednesday.

Aaron Thompson was scheduled to enter his plea on Wednesday, but the date of his arraignment was pushed back until June 25 to give court officials more time to schedule his trial.

Thompson reported his daughter Aarone missing in November 2005, when she would have been 6. Investigators say she may have died as early as 2003.

A 60-count indictment against Thompson describes a violent home where Aarone and seven other children were allegedly beaten with a baseball bat, belts, cords, a broomstick or a magazine.

Prosecutors says Aarone died because she was undernourished, suffered cruel punishment and was denied medical care for two years.

The indictment accuses Thompson and his girlfriend, Shely Lowe, of fatal child abuse against Aarone. Lowe died in May 2006 of heart problems.

Thompson and Lowe are accused of concealing her death and disposing of the body, although the indictment shows there's no indication anyone intentionally killed Aarone.

Eric Williams, Sr., Lowe's ex-husband, told police that Lowe said Aarone had died in the bathtub in January or February 2004. She allegedly told him that she and Thompson had tried to revive Aarone without success. They decided to bury the body because they were worried about a scar on Aarone's back from when she was disciplined, Williams said. Lowe was concerned it might alert social services to the alleged beatings and she might lose her other children.

According to the indictment, the other kids in the home claim they were witness to and victims of numerous, recurring and violent beatings.

One child told authorities she was always worried about Aarone, who was often locked in a closet. She said Thompson and Lowe punished Aarone for wetting the bed by locking her in the coat closet by the front door.

"The (child) hated Aarone being in the closet, and Aarone would stick her little fingers out from underneath the door. (The child) would rub Aarone's fingers to let her know someone was out there for her," the indictment said.

Aarone's body has never been found.

The seven other children were removed from the home two days after Aarone was reported missing.