SOUTHEAST OHIO Child-death trial begins

The case is likely to strain the budget of rural Noble County.
CALDWELL, Ohio (AP) -- Seven-year-old Brittany Hendrickson died after being stuffed into an abandoned well and covered with heavy rocks.
The trial of the man accused of raping and beating the girl is scheduled to begin today in the first death-penalty case heard in rural Noble County since Ohio reinstated capital punishment 23 years ago.
"It's difficult to think we're going to be reliving that again, but you have to have justice done," area resident Debbie Tewanger said. "There is a lot of pain in people's hearts. It was something you'd never think could happen."
Defendant Fred Mundt Jr., 30, lived with Brittany's mother, Misty Hendrickson, 27, and her two other children in Lebanon, south of Caldwell. The community of 200 people is about 80 miles southeast of Columbus.
Hendrickson reported her daughter missing March 9, telling authorities she'd left her three children in Mundt's care for a few hours at their home while she went to play bingo, authorities said.
Mundt told investigators he was asleep when Brittany's mother left, and when he awoke, only the two younger children were in the house.
The next day, volunteers looked in the well about a mile from the girl's house and found a floating pair of sneakers.
Authorities said the autopsy indicated a history of physical and sexual abuse. The Stark County coroner found that the girl drowned, that she had been beaten and her skull was broken on the right side.
Here's a problem
The case will be costly for a county with little money. "We're looking at $65,000 just for the basics," Noble County Commissioner Danny Harmon said. "It's likely to go higher, and the last few years, the state reimbursement has been less than 30 percent. Then there are appeals.