Hearing waived in child abuse case

SANDPOINT — A Priest River man accused of breaking a 6-month-old child’s leg has waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Bonner County Magistrate Court.

Preston Glen Dale Davis was bound over to stand trial in 1st District Court. He is scheduled to be arraigned on one count of felony injury to a child on Monday.

Davis, 18, entered the waiver on Oct. 3.

Davis caused a spiral fracture on the girl’s left femur on Aug. 24, charging documents allege.

The child was treated at Newport Community Hospital and Spokane’s Sacred Heart Medical Center. Child welfare authorities were alerted because such an injury can be indicative of abuse.

While doing an X-ray of the torsion fracture, doctors detected a healing fracture on the girl’s right leg, according to court documents.

Davis was initially at a loss to explain the fresher injury, but later told investigators that he was playing with the child’s legs in an attempt to stop her from crying. Davis denied intentionally hurting the child.

Davis is free on his own recognizance while the case is pending.