A Waterloo man is charged with multiple felonies following what police described as a “disturbing” incident earlier this month in Monroe County. 

On June 11, Monroe County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to an address on Kopp Road for a report of a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, police learned a small child had allegedly been battered by an adult male. 

The incident was captured on video surveillance. 

MCSD Sgt. Justin Biggs said deputies watched the video and observed the adult using a belt to wrap around a child’s waist and then around the neck. The man struck the child with a closed fist after throwing the child in a pool, police said – all while having the belt around the child’s neck. 

Monroe County State’s Attorney Ryan Webb charged the man, Eric Eschmann, 45, of Waterloo, with aggravated domestic battery (strangulation) and aggravated battery (great bodily harm) to a child under 13 years of age.

“The video of the incident is disturbing and hard to watch,” Biggs said. 

Judge Chris Hitzemann set Eschmann’s bond at $100,000. Eschmann was in custody until posting bond June 13. 

A few hours later, however, deputies arrested Eschmann again after he violated an order of protection served to him while in custody the first time.

Investigators presented the protection order violation case to Webb’s office, and Eschmann was subsequently charged on that offense with the judge ordering him held without bond.

Eschmann remains in custody at the Monroe County Jail.

Also charged in connection with the original incident was 42-year-old Kimberly L. Helfman Eschmann with misdemeanor endangering the life of a child for allegedly allowing Eric Eschmann to “keep a belt around the neck of (a minor) while pulling (the minor) into and out of a pool.”

The Illinois Department of Child and Family Services has taken protective custody of the children at the address of this incident, police said.