The case went to the jury at noon.
      The trial of a Chadron man accused of the child abuse death of his 10-month old daughter last summer is likely go to a Dawes County District Court jury today.Â
27-year old Riley Lenhart is charged with Intentional Child Abuse Resulting in Death. Lenhart was taking care of Madilynn Lenhart at their home on June 19, 2022, when he found her not breathing.
The infant was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. An autopsy was performed the next day and listed strangulation as the cause of death. Lenhart was then arrested.
The trial had been scheduled to run 5 days, but the prosecution moved more quickly than expected and rested its case by yesterday afternoon.,.
Defense attorney Todd Lancaster of the Nebraska Commission of Public Advocacy told Judge Travis O’Gorman that his final 2 witnesses were from out-of-town, but weren’t yet available because he hadn’t expected to get to them yet.
Judge O’Gorman then adjourned for the day at 2:30. The trial will resume this morning at 8:30 am with closing arguments and the start of jury deliberations expected no later than sometime this afternoon.