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A Missouri couple remained in Salt Lake County jail on Tuesday following their arrests for alleged abuse of their 4-month-old girl.
Salt Lake City police say they arrested the father, 28, and 20-year-old mother at a downtown Salt Lake City motel last month after the baby was treated for broken legs and mouth injuries at Primary Children's Medical Center. Doctors there reported the injuries as being consistent with child abuse, police said.
In documents filed in 3rd District Court, investigators allege the father admitted to having forced a bottle into the infant's mouth, resulting in tearing of connective tongue tissue, while the mother acknowledged that both she and the father had pulled and twisted the child's legs as the infant kicked.
The infant has been placed in the custody of Utah's Division of Child and Family Services pending court proceedings and determination of custody.
New public defenders were appointed for the couple from the Salt Lake Legal Defenders firm on Monday after previous attorneys cited an unspecified conflict of interest. No further court hearings were immediately set.
The parents, who were initially arrested on April 2, are charged with one second-degree felony and three class A misdemeanor counts of intentional child abuse. Bail has been set at $75,000 for each, court records show.