Man from Missouri convicted in wife’s death admits child abuse

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) – A man from Missouri convicted of killing his wife and lying about her body’s whereabouts has pleaded guilty to abuse of their young daughter.

Joseph Elledge pleaded guilty Tuesday to child abuse, child endangerment and domestic assault.

Elledge was convicted last year of killing his wife, Mengqi Ji, a Chinese woman he married while they were studying at the University of Missouri. He buried her body and lied to authorities about her whereabouts for months.

The couple’s child was 1 year old at the time.

Elledge was arrested on the abuse charges in October 2019 after police said they found iPad photos of his daughter’s bruised body,