NEW BEDFORD, Mass. -- A New Bedford man accused of biting off the lip and ear of his girlfriend's three-year-old daughter is being held without bail. Bryan James pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Thursday to a charge of assault and battery upon a child causing substantial bodily injuries.
Police said Bryan James, 34, left the girl so mutilated doctors could not fully repair the damage.
James, 34, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in New Bedford District Court to a charge of assault and battery upon a child causing substantial bodily injuries.
The child's mother, Jessica Silveria, 26, of New Bedford, pleaded not guilty Thursday to permitting substantial injuries to a child under 14 and intimidation of a witness. She was also ordered held without bail.
A dangerousness hearing for the two suspects in scheduled for Wednesday, said Lisa Rowell, a spokeswoman for Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter's office. At the hearing, prosecutors plan to ask that the two continue to be held without bail for up to 90 days, said Gregg Miliote, the office's director of communications.
Sutter will handle the case himself "because of the egregious facts of the case," Miliote said.
The girl suffered bites to the face in which she lost the upper part of her lip. Her ear was so mutilated that surgery could not return it to its natural state. The child also suffered other human bites on her body, said New Bedford police Capt. Richard Spirlet.
The child's biological father, Eric Offley, told reporters outside the courthouse that his daughter was "very beautiful"
"She's small, brown hair, brown eyes -- great smile," he said. "You know, now that's taken away from her."
Police think the biting attacks began in January and continued until April.
The state Department of Social Services said it began investigating abuse allegations on Jan. 5, and repeatedly tried to contact and locate the girl's family. When the agency managed to contact the mother in March on one of several unannounced visits, her daughter was not in the home, and she also wasn't there during subsequent visits, DSS said in a statement.
In April, the agency asked a judge for an order to gain temporary custody of the girl and her older brother. A judge put the children in state care on May 3, DSS said.
New Bedford police began investigating in mid-May after the girl was taken to Children's Hospital in Boston.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Suspected drunk driver hits mother, two children Bishop asked Patrick Kennedy not to receive Communion Deadly crash in Sumner Tunnel kills one woman Fuel spill shut down Route 3 in Chelmsford MBTA driver honored at Gillette Stadium Bill targeting elderly drivers stalls on Beacon Hill Parents' tempers flare at youth hockey game in Bridgewater Transgender inmate to renew request for electrolysis 
