Dyess airman's ex-wife asks for toddler death trial to be moved

ABILENE, TEXAS — A West Texas woman who claimed her military husband’s deployment overseas left her too stressed to care for their children, including a 22-month-old daughter who died, wants her trial to be moved.

Tiffany Klapheke (klah-PEEK’) of Abilene is set to go on trial July 15 for three counts of injury to a child. The 22-year-old Klapheke was married to a deployed Dyess Air Force Base airman at the time of her daughter’s death in August.

The Abilene Reporter-News reports that her attorney, David W. Thedford, submitted the change of venue request last week. According to court documents, Klapheke says there is such a prejudice against her in Taylor County that she couldn’t get a fair trial there or nearby.

She remained in Taylor County jail Tuesday on $500,000 bond.