Man arrested on aggravated child abuse charges following years-long search

EVANSVILLE, Wyo. — Local and statewide law enforcement agencies recently located and arrested Scott Erskine on charges of aggravated child assault, following a nearly two-years-long investigation and search.

The case started in October 2022, when the police department was called to respond for two young children under the age of three that has been severely physically assaulted. The two children were life flighted to Children’s Hospital in Denver due to the injuries. Other injuries that were in the healing process were also discovered the medical team.

The Evansville Police Department, Natrona County Sheriff’s Office, Wyoming Department of Family Services and a number medical personnel were all involved in the treatment of the young children, and many described the case as the worst case of child abuse ever seen in Natrona County, according to Evansville Police Chief Mike Thompson.

Due to other cases involving Erskine that were in the county, a joint investigation was started that ultimately lead to the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office filing the felony charges.

During the investigation, Erskine left Natrona County before being arrested. Since then, he had reportedly been seen in several different states.

The police department reached out to local law enforcement agencies in the areas Erskine was believed to be frequenting, though Thompson reports that those agencies were unable to locate him at the time.

Local law enforcement agencies at several times also attempted to use social media posts in attempts to locate Erskine. Boosted social media ads were used in Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska and throughout Wyoming. Along with running the advertisements, numerous social media groups were used in boosting the search for Erskine.

In April, an Evansville PD investigator reached out the Wyoming Fugitive Task Force asking for assistance. The WFTF then reached out to the Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force, and law enforcement officials were eventually pointed to the Fort Myers area of Florida, though it ultimately turned out that Erskine was not living in Ft. Myers at the time.

Then, on July 26, more information and a lead was developed that led to an address. Within days, Erskine was located and arrested in Cape Coral, Florida.

After being extradited back to Natrona County, Erskine made his first appearance in court today where his bond was set at $50,000 for the felony charges of aggravated child abuse.

“Children are the most precious gifts that we are given in this world, no child should ever endure the pain and suffering that these two children did,” Thompson wrote in a post on the Evansville Police Department Facebook page.