Mo. Rev. Stat. § 473.773

The public administrator and the sureties upon his bond as public administrator and the sureties on any other bonds given specially for separate estates, shall be liable for any loss occasioned by any wrongful, illegal or negligent act or omission of any deputy acting under such authority or by color of his authority as such deputy, to the same extent and in the same manner as if the wrongful, illegal or negligent act or omission had been committed, permitted or suffered by the public administrator personally.