Man Accused Of Killing Twins Bound Over For Trial
Twins' Deaths Occurred In April
Updated: 6:17 pm CDT July 27, 2008
BARABOO, Wis. -- A Baraboo man accused of killing his two 5-week-old twins appeared in court Friday and a judge found enough evidence to bound him over for trial.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportDavid Yates, 46, attended a preliminary hearing on Friday in Sauk County court.Yates is charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide after his twins were found dead in his home in April.Prosecutors said that officers were sent to the home on April 13 to check on the children, Tyler and Savannah Yates, at the request of their mother. They said that they found Yates in bed and later discovered the twins' battered bodies.During Friday's hearing, prosecutors called to the stand Baraboo police Officer Michael Pichler, who was the first officer at the scene and the man who found the infants under their father's bed. Pichler said that Yates said twice that he didn't know where the children were, then said they were left at a friend's house."I was checking the interior bedroom and observed a small infant foot sticking out from underneath the dust ruffle," said Michael Pichler of the Baraboo Police Department.After finding the babies, Pichler said that he called paramedics, who found the children were already dead.District Attorney Patricia Barrett entered into evidence two photos of the deceased infants.In addition, forensic pathologist also described in detail the injuries of the twins. Dr. Robert Corliss said that both children died of repeat blunt-force trauma to the head, and that at the time the infants were discovered, they had been dead for at least 12 hours. Corliss said the injuries could only have happened accidentally if they had been in a multiple-roll-over car accident."Other than to say that there is blunt force head injury which is lethal, I will be no more specific to say either the head struck something or something struck the head," said Corliss.Susan Winbun, the children's mother, left the court during the proceedings -- as did some of her family and friends -- visibly distraught by the details of the case. Some left the courtroom as the description of the chest compression injuries of one twin continued."There's a significant amount of flexibility in an infant so it would take a significant amount of force to exceed the elastic recoil of the lungs and ribs resulting in a fracture," said Corliss."Certainly they've described how the children have died but there's nothing prior to them finding the children that would suggest that Mr. Yates was involved," said defense attorney Paul Polacek.Ultimately, Sauk County Judge James Everson said that he found there was enough evidence to bound Yates for trial.Polacek said Yates will plead not guilty at his arraignment which has been scheduled for next Monday. He said at this point he would not consider any sort of plea deal, WISC-TV reported.Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.
VIDEO: Watch The ReportDavid Yates, 46, attended a preliminary hearing on Friday in Sauk County court.Yates is charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide after his twins were found dead in his home in April.Prosecutors said that officers were sent to the home on April 13 to check on the children, Tyler and Savannah Yates, at the request of their mother. They said that they found Yates in bed and later discovered the twins' battered bodies.During Friday's hearing, prosecutors called to the stand Baraboo police Officer Michael Pichler, who was the first officer at the scene and the man who found the infants under their father's bed. Pichler said that Yates said twice that he didn't know where the children were, then said they were left at a friend's house."I was checking the interior bedroom and observed a small infant foot sticking out from underneath the dust ruffle," said Michael Pichler of the Baraboo Police Department.After finding the babies, Pichler said that he called paramedics, who found the children were already dead.District Attorney Patricia Barrett entered into evidence two photos of the deceased infants.In addition, forensic pathologist also described in detail the injuries of the twins. Dr. Robert Corliss said that both children died of repeat blunt-force trauma to the head, and that at the time the infants were discovered, they had been dead for at least 12 hours. Corliss said the injuries could only have happened accidentally if they had been in a multiple-roll-over car accident."Other than to say that there is blunt force head injury which is lethal, I will be no more specific to say either the head struck something or something struck the head," said Corliss.Susan Winbun, the children's mother, left the court during the proceedings -- as did some of her family and friends -- visibly distraught by the details of the case. Some left the courtroom as the description of the chest compression injuries of one twin continued."There's a significant amount of flexibility in an infant so it would take a significant amount of force to exceed the elastic recoil of the lungs and ribs resulting in a fracture," said Corliss."Certainly they've described how the children have died but there's nothing prior to them finding the children that would suggest that Mr. Yates was involved," said defense attorney Paul Polacek.Ultimately, Sauk County Judge James Everson said that he found there was enough evidence to bound Yates for trial.Polacek said Yates will plead not guilty at his arraignment which has been scheduled for next Monday. He said at this point he would not consider any sort of plea deal, WISC-TV reported.Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.
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Copyright 2008 by Channel 3000. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
