A new bond was set for the father charged with hiding his son after a child died from injuries in a Green Bay home.
FOX11 reports that 48-year-old David Vanderleest was back in Brown County Court for an adjourned initial appearance yesterday (July 22nd).
Court Commissioner Kate Zuidmulder decided to lower David’s bond from $100,000 cash to $50,000 cash, with his lawyer’s claiming bond was too high with the charges he faces.
David will be back in court next Tuesday for a preliminary hearing on charges of aiding a felon.
Police were called to a home in the 100 block of Alpine Drive in Green Bay earlier this month after 2-year-old Leo Escalante was found not breathing after he fell down the stairs.
David claimed he was home alone when the incident happened.
However, Leo’s mother says it was 21-year-old James Vanderleest, David’s son, who called her about the stair fall, claiming it was an accident.
Escalante later died at a hospital from his injuries two days later. However, a doctor told police that the injuries were not consistent with a fall down the stairs.
David and James were later arrested in Florence County after driving up to stay at a relative’s cabin.
James Vanderleest will be back in court in August.
He faces charges of 1st-degree reckless homicide, resisting or obstructing an officer, plus felony and misdemeanor bail jumping charges.
