Abuse suspect pleads guilty

SANDPOINT — A Ponderay man accused of inflicting nearly fatal injuries on his infant son pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony child abuse.

Bobby Daniel Adams faces up to 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine, although the state and the defense have agreed jointly to a recommended sentence of two to seven years in prison with retained jurisdiction, which means he could be released after serving six months at a state prison in Cottonwood.

The sentencing judge, however, is not bound by the sentence recommendation.

Adams’ sentencing hearing is set for July 27 in 1st District Court.

He was set to be tried on a felony charge of felony injury to a child next week.

Adams entered the plea a a pretrial conference during which a defense motion for a change of venue was scheduled to be heard.

Adams, 26, allegedly fractured his month-old son’s skull and caused brain injuries while the boy was in his care on Aug. 17, 2008.

Adams denied injuring his son.

He allegedly told investigators his son became unresponsive and hit his head on a cooking pan when he took the child to a kitchen sink so he could splashed with cold water.

Adams entered an Alford plea to the charge earlier this year, although he later withdrew the guilty plea after a binding plea agreement fell apart. Judge John Patrick Luster declined to adhere to the plea agreement because of the seriousness of the charges and Adams’ avoidance of responsibility in the case.

Under an Alford plea, a defendant maintains their innocence, but admits that there is sufficient evidence to result in a conviction. Defendants also enter such pleas in order to gain the benefit of a plea agreement.

Alford pleas are regarded as a guilty plea at sentencing.

Adams was ordered to stand trial last year, after a pediatric specialist testified that the child’s head trauma was the result of being shaken violently and struck against a hard surface.