Grand Island man heads to trial court for allegedly raping granddaughter

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - A 77-year-old Grand Island man is headed to trial court on seven felony charges related the sexual assault of his 7-year-old granddaughter.
Hall County Court records show the man is charged with four counts of felony first-degree sexual assault of a child, two counts of child abuse and one count of strangulation.
Grand Island Police conducted a forensic interview with the girl. In an affidavit police said the girl reported she was sexually assaulted by her grandfather in front of her 6-year-old brother.
The report indicates the man digitally penetrated his granddaughter, pushed her head into a toilet, struck her with a belt and held his hand over her nose and mouth to prevent her breathing.
The man was arrested in September.
During a hearing Monday, a judge found probable cause and transferred the case to Hall County District Court. An arraignment is scheduled Nov. 14.
At arraignment, a suspect typically pleads guilty of not guilty to the charges faced. The man is in the Hall County Detention Center on $300,000 bond.
The man appeared in Hall County Court on Wednesday and the judge set his bond at 10% of $350,000. He’s not allowed to have contact with either of the children, if he posts bond.
A conviction for first-degree sexual assault of a child carries a max penalty of life in prison.