Franklin Park couple faces child-abuse charges

By Staff Reports

LEETSDALE -- A Franklin Park couple accused of abusing their adopted children from Ethiopia waived their charges to court on Thursday.

Douglas Benjamin Barbour, 33, of 2552 Cole Road waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of endangering the welfare of children, aggravated assault and simple assault. His wife, Kristen Brianne Barbour, 30, of the same address, waived charges of endangering the welfare of children, reckless endangerment, aggravated assault and simple assault to Allegheny County Court.

County police filed charges Oct. 4 after Douglas Barbour, a state deputy attorney general, took his then-6-year-old adopted son to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh with hypothermia and skin breakdown.

Doctors determined that the boy had lost several pounds since the Barbours adopted him, and he developed a rash that was caused by ongoing contact with urine, police said.

The couple’s then-18-month-old adopted daughter also was taken to the hospital the same day for a seizure, according to a criminal complaint. Police said the girl had hemorrhaging in her brain caused by "abusive head trauma" and had several healing fractures.

The Barbours are free on $25,000 bond each, according to online court records.