5/8/13 - A hearing to terminate parental rights has been scheduled for later this month for a Hamburg Township man accused of abusing his infant daughter. 25-year-old Robert George Albert is charged with 1st degree child abuse in Livingston County Circuit Court and is alleged to have intentionally caused physical harm to his then-9-month-old daughter last year. A parental termination hearing was held earlier this month, with a dispositional review scheduled for May 31st for a final judgment on that issue. Albert claims he only signed away his parental rights after his attorney lied to him, saying it was his only option and that his criminal case attorney agreed with that opinion. Possible injuries were discovered on the infant girl during a routine exam in May of 2012 and medical personnel later testified the girl suffered multiple fractures and hemorrhaging in her eyes â an indication of abuse. Albertâs brother and a friend also testified that he toyed with his daughter just to hear her cry as some sort of game and would put her in âstress positionsâ while also binding her arms when feeding her so she wouldnât grab the utensils. They also alleged Albert and the infantâs mother smoked synthetic marijuana in front the girl. A jury trial in the criminal case against Albert is scheduled to begin June 17th, unless a plea deal is reached prior. (JK)
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