Springfield man charged for death of 8-year-old daughter in ATV wreck

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Springfield man faces a felony charge almost a year after an ATV wreck claimed the life of his daughter.

According to court dockets, Bryon Heard, born 1995, is charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child — death of a child.

Court documents say the wreck happened on Oct. 3, 2024.

Springfield Police Department (SPD) officers were dispatched to the southwest corner of Jean St. and Missouri St. in Springfield at around 10:19 p.m. for a report of a yellow 2005 Kazuma ATV Four-Wheeler that had collided with a utility pole.

Officers contacted Heard on the scene shortly after the crash. Heard was trying to relocate the ATV, but he was heavily injured and disoriented, documents say.

SPD officers soon discovered Heard's 8-year-old daughter had been riding the ATV during the crash. The investigation revealed neither of them wore a helmet, while also revealing the child was sitting in the front of the ATV and driving it, with Heard in the back.

The ATV was illegally used on a city street, and Heard was discovered to have multiple drugs in his system, including cocaine and oxycodone, the statement says.

Heard was booked in the Greene County Jail this week for an unrelated charge of resisting arrest for a felony.

If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.