Man Accused Of Abusing 2-Month-Old Daughter To Stand Trial
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A man accused of injuring his 2-month-old daughter appeared in court Wednesday afternoon.
Last month, Billy Williams turned himself in with his attorney after charges were filed naming him as the man responsible for the fractured rib and other injuries to his 2-month-old daughter.
During telephone testimony, Dr. Jennifer Wolford, of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, said the child had a hemorrhage of the right eye, bruising on her chest, a bruise on the abdomen, red dots on her cheek and radiology showed a fractured rib that was healing.
The cause, according to the doctor, was physical abuse.
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Billy Williams ordered to stand trial in abuse of two month old girl
— Harold Hayes (@hhayes_harold) February 17, 2016
However, defense attorney Ernest Sharif pointed out in court that the child's mother told police she once had the baby in her lap, began to doze, and when she felt the child slip, she caught her with her knees and squeezed.
The doctor testified those injuries could not have been caused by the mother.
A detective testified Williams admitted his possible role.
Pittsburgh police Detective Crystal Hoevel said on the stand, "He said he had squeezed her too hard. He admitted he believed he was the person who caused the injuries."
But his lawyer has an explanation for the statement.
"He gives them an interview, and he says he may have squeezed the child too hard," said Sharif. "He didn't squeeze too hard. He didn't squeeze the child at all. He was just trying to help the mom out to keep custody of her children."
Sharif also claims an error in the affidavit for probable cause fueled the investigation.
The affidavit says Williams was charged in connection with the death of a child previously, but that information was incorrect. That case did not result in death.
The previous case was reduced from aggravated to simple assault when Williams rolled over on a child in bed.
"They look at his record from CYF and there it goes. And that's the whole case. The whole case is based upon that false information because that's the light in which the investigation is done. Had there been no history with this guy they would have said that the mother squeezing the child with her knees caused the injuries," said Sharif.
Still a district judge found there was enough evidence to hold Williams for trial in this case on charges including attempted homicide.
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