In a Douglas County courtroom Wednesday morning Hollie Budka waived her preliminary hearing and was bound over for trial on a child abuse charge.
Budka was initially charged after allegedly twisting a boy's genitals after he wet the bed. Defense attorney James Martin Davis said his client is not guilty and that she's the victim of false accusations by a scorned ex-lover.
The mother of the child told 6 News earlier that she reported Budka, who lives with her ex-husband. She claimed she asked Child Protective Services for help but no one believed her until now. The mother's attorney, Chris Perrone, says, "She's very upset that it took it to get to this level for them to believe there is abuse and it is happening and it is happening to her child."
Budka said Wednesday, “I didn't do it. I'm innocent. I love them boys and their well-being is all that matters right now."
Budka will be tried for the charge of child abuse by intent. At her bond hearing in February prosecutors revealed the victim's mother called police after noticing marks on his genitals and neck. On Wednesday, they said their main goal is to keep that child safe.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said, "When anyone hurts a child, we're going to do everything we can to protect that child or children generally. That's what this case is about. Somebody that hurt a child."
Davis the fact that Budka is currently dating the child's father is the reason his client is facing charges. “This was a trumped-up personal vendetta against my client. There's no truth to the sensational allegations that are made against her."
But Kleine disagrees. "We have forensic interviews with a child where the child tells us what happened. That's where we move forward."