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February preliminary hearings for Nathan and Stephanie Sloop — accused of killing the woman's 4-year-old son, Ethan Stacy, last year — have been delayed.
Deputy Davis County Attorney David Cole said Wednesday that the hearings were continued "so the defense can file written objections to some of the evidence we intend to present."
Rich Mauro, one of Nathan Sloop's defense attorneys, merely referred to "issues that need to be raised prior to a preliminary hearing."
Neither side would elaborate regarding the nature of those issues.
Mauro said more information would be included in pleadings due to be filed with the court by Feb. 14. But, as with a number of legal motions filed in recent months in connection with both cases, the new pleadings also may be sealed, Mauro said.
Meanwhile, Nathan Sloop, 32, is to appear Friday before 2nd District Judge Michael Allphin for a status hearing. Stephanie Sloop, 28, is to appear Monday before Allphin for a similar hearing.
The Sloops, of Layton, are each charged with aggravated murder, which carries the potential for the death penalty, as well as child abuse and other felonies.
Charging documents say the couple engaged in multiple acts of "severe abuse" between April 29 and May 8, which led to Ethan's death, including "beatings, burning, drugging, isolating, malnourishing, leaving the child alone and unattended while suffering, and refusing to seek vital life-sustaining medical attention."
According to the police probable cause statements, Stephanie Sloop said she knew Ethan needed medical attention after an initial May 5 disciplinary beating by Nathan Sloop, but that she was afraid he would harm her, too.
She told police that Ethan became "extremely ill," would not eat and was given Benadryl to keep him quiet, according to those earlier statements. She also initially told police that on May 7, Nathan Sloop told her Ethan had burned himself in the bathtub on his feet, legs and buttocks by turning up the hot water when Nathan Sloop left the bathroom.
The couple — who said they left the injured boy in a locked bedroom while they got married May 6 — reported Ethan missing to police May 10, Mother's Day, after discovering the boy was dead.
But after a 12-hour search, police say the couple confessed to burying the boy off a trail near Powder Mountain Ski Resort in Weber County.
Nathan Sloop, who led officers to the body on May 11, told police he used a hammer to disfigure the boy's face and teeth in an effort to hinder his identification.