Preliminary hearing set for airman in death at Barksdale

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. — A preliminary hearing is set next month for an airman charged with the murder of his 2-year-old stepson.

KSLA-TV reports Airman 1st Class Colton Ballance, assigned to the 2nd Security Forces Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, was charged Dec. 23 with the child's death.

Ballance has been in custody since Oct. 14. A day earlier, Ballance's wife called base emergency officials to report that she believed her son had died.

The child had been put to bed the night before and authorities said when she went to check on him that following morning he was unresponsive. Ballance was questioned and later arrested.

Further details have not been released. It was unknown whether Ballance has an attorney.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled at Barksdale on Feb. 12.

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