Haysville Couple Accused of Child Abuse

A Sedgwick County prosecutors say a Haysville couple intentionally gave two young girls alcohol before they were sexually assaulted.

The case stems from April, 2007, when authorities allege Christopher Pitzer, 31, and his wife Eva, 29, held a party at their Haysville home to celebrate the adoption of a 13 year old girl. Assistant district attorney Christine Ladner says the adopted girl and a 12 year-old female friend were given beer and hard liquor and encouraged to drink alcohol-laced Kool-Aid at the party.

But that's not all.

In a separate case filed months ago, Christopher Pitzer is charged with raping the two girls on the same night as the alleged drinking. He was the only one facing trial until recently, when authorities charged him and his wife together with felony aggravated child endangerment.

At the couple's preliminary hearing Thursday, prosecutors played a video tape taken at the party. In it, one of the girls is seen rolling on the floor, falling off chairs, and speaking incoherently at times. Prosecutors say she was obviously intoxicated, and that you hear Christopher Pitzer say, "That's what happens when you're drunk."

Putting the rape and child endangerment charges together, it's alleged the Pitzers let the girls drink before Christopher Pitzer sexually assaulted them.

"She was significantly intoxicated," said Regional Forensic Science Center Director Timothy Rohrig, testifying one of the girls had so much alcohol in her system she could have died.

But defense attorneys argue there is no solid evidence the girls were truly drunk. Rohrig's testimony Thursday was based off of an affidavit he had previously read, the video shown in court, and witness testimony prior to his own. The Pitzer's defense says there is no valid medical record showing the girls were intoxicated, and the video may actually show the girls just behaving silly.

Eva and Christopher Pitzer pleaded not guilty at Thursday's preliminary hearing and are free on bond. Christopher Pitzer is currently scheduled for trial on the rape charges later this month, and again along with his wife on the child endangerment charges in March.