Man accused of abusing 8-month-old

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A Kent County man accused of abusing his girlfriend's 8-month-old daughter waived a preliminary hearing Friday.

As a condition of the deal, Nathaniel Sweet will take a polygraph test. Then he and his defense will have the option to revisit another preliminary hearing but a future date has not been set. His lawyer asked for a lower bond, but Kent County Prosecutor Helen Brinkman said because of the nature of the child's injuries that Sweet's bond stay the same. The judge agreed with Brinkman.

Sweet is facing a first-degree child abuse charge.

Police started investigating on Oct. 3 when the infant's mother called police after she noticed the baby having seizures.

Sweet had watched the child at a home in Gaines Township for about 40 minutes, Sweet's girlfriend told authorities. He denies any knowledge of her being injured.

The girl was taken to Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids with skull and rib fractures, and is expected to survive.

Bond was set at $100,000 and Sweet was ordered to have no contact with the injured baby or her mother.