On August 8th, the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of possible child abuse at a residence in the 400 block of Jackson Street in Bonaparte.
Upon arrival, deputies spoke with the victim, who stated that her adopted mother, 48-year-old Krista Crossett, had become angry and punched her in the eye several days earlier. Officers noted the victim had a black eye, along with a knife wound on her right index finger, which she said came from Crossett swinging a knife at her.
The victim was transported to a hospital for further evaluation. Medical staff discovered extensive bruising across her body in different stages of healing. The victim told investigators that some of the bruising on her chest occurred when Crossett stepped on her during an argument. She was also found to have a broken nose and a broken hip. When questioned about the injuries, Crossett reportedly claimed she had no idea how they occurred.
Following the initial investigation, deputies obtained a warrant for Crossett’s arrest. She was taken into custody and later released from the Van Buren County Jail on August 13th while awaiting a scheduled sentencing hearing. A no-contact order was issued, prohibiting her from having any contact with the victim.
The investigation continued, and on November 21st, the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department issued a second warrant for Crossett’s arrest. She was taken into custody again and is currently being held in the Van Buren County Jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond. A preliminary hearing is set for December 1st. A new no-contact order has also been issued, prohibiting her from having contact with any minors.
Crossett now faces multiple charges of neglect or abandonment of a dependent person involving a male child and two female children. According to court documents, the charges stem from incidents occurring between September 2024 and August 2025, during which Crossett allegedly exposed two of her minor children—both under the age of five—to hazardous situations from which they could not reasonably protect themselves. She faces one Class B felony and two Class C felony counts of child endangerment.
The case remains under investigation as authorities continue to gather information.
