Charge added in Pittsfield child-abuse case

BROWN COUNTY - A Pittsfield man's trial on a child-abuse charge has been postponed until Nov. 7 after prosecutors added a new charge to the case.

Raymond Sangraw, 39, accused of scalding his 7-year-old son in a bath tub on Feb. 17, also faces a felony charge of causing mental harm.

Defense lawyer David Christian requested an adjournment to allow for adequate preparation. At a hearing Thursday, Brown County Circuit Court Judge Donald Zuidmulder agreed.

School officials noticed the boy was losing weight and showing unusual behavior in his classroom.

According to the criminal complaint, hospital workers found second-degree burns covering the lower half of the boy's body. Some burn dressings were stuck to his skin. The boy appeared dehydrated, malnourished and septic, the report said.

Sangraw's wife, Lisa Sangraw, 38, who faces a charge of being party to child abuse, is set for trial on Sept. 26. She'll be back in court on Monday for a pretrial hearing. She pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to the charge.