Darrick Mittlestadt testifies in Laramie County child abuse trial

Darrick Mittlestadt testified in Laramie County District Court on Wednesday regarding charges of aggravated child abuse and conspiracy involving his adopted son. During his testimony, Mittlestadt admitted to missing signs of the child's poor condition, stating, “Obviously I missed the signs. . . I'm not a good dad.”

Mittlestadt testified that his wife, Angela, had assured him the child was being fed and was being homeschooled. He claimed that inquiries into the boy's well-being often led to verbal arguments with his wife, who reportedly told him, “I've got this.”

According to his testimony, Mittlestadt, a fire chief, was increasingly excluded from family decisions by his wife starting in mid-2024. He stated that in the months leading up to the child being placed at the Youth Development Center in Douglas on June 22, 2025, his contact with the boy was extremely limited.