The trial date for a Clay City Illinois man charged with beating a 2 year old child to death is scheduled to begin on Monday January 27th. 24 year old Alexander Beal is charged with First Degree Murder and Aggravated Battery to a Child. Beal was arrested after investigation into the death of the child by the Illinois Child Death Investigative Task Force. The child was brought to Clay County Hospital in Flora with severe injuries and later died of those injuries spurring the inquiry. Beal is being held in the Clay County Jail on $1 million bond with a final pretrial set for January 6th.