Woman charged with child endangerment waives right to preliminary hearing

Woman charged with child endangerment waives right to preliminary hearing

By Melissa Regennitter of the Muscatine Journal

MUSCATINE, Iowa — The Muscatine woman charged with child endangerment waived her right to a preliminary hearing that was scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Melanie Leathers Addington, 29, of Muscatine, is accused of shaking and slamming 2-month-old Tyler Addington, causing permanent brain injury. According to court records, Leathers Addington was in the process of adopting the baby.

Muscatine County Courthouse officials said the Muscatine County Attorneys Office’s next step will be to file trial information. Another court date will not be set until that is done.

The baby was taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics on Sept. 5, where, according to a Sept. 8 press release from the Muscatine County Attorney’s Office, he was listed in critical condition. Due to federal privacy laws, hospital officials would not release further information about the infant.

Leathers Addington has been charged with child endangerment resulting in serious injury, a Class C forcible felony punishable by a mandatory prison sentence of a term not to exceed 10 years.

If convicted, Leathers Addington would not be eligible for any form of probation.

Leathers Addington was freed from the Muscatine County Jail on Sept. 10, after posting $10,000 bond.