Suspended deputy state attorney general and wife accused of child abuse waive hearing

By Tribune-Review

Published: Thursday, January 17, 2013, 4:14 p.m.

Updated: Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Franklin Park couple accused of abusing their two adopted children have waived their preliminary hearing.

Douglas Barbour, 33, and Kristen Barbour, 30, were scheduled to appear before Leetsdale District Judge Robert Ford on Friday morning. They are now scheduled to appear at a formal arraignment on March 7.

The couple is charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of children and one count each of recklessly endangering another person, and simple and aggravated assault.

Prosecutors withdrew one count each of aggravated and simple assault against Douglas Barbour, a deputy state attorney general who is suspended without pay.

Police said the couple denied proper nutrition to their adopted 6-year-old son, who was taken to Children‘s Hospital of Pittsburgh on Sept. 14. When he was admitted, he weighed 9.5 pounds less than he did when he entered the United States from Ethiopia six months earlier.

Their 18-month-old daughter, also from Ethiopia and hospitalized the same day, had multiple healing skull fractures, police said.

They have been free on bail since Oct. 10.