RICHMOND — A Richmond man and woman accused of abusing a six-year-old child are scheduled to appear today in Madison District Court for a preliminary hearing.

Christopher David Waldroup, 29, and Staci Renee Waldroup, 25, were arrested in April and both were charged with first-degree criminal abuse of a child 12 or younger, a Class C felony.

According to a police report, Christopher said in an interview with Richmond Police that he struck the child in the face with a fly swatter, resulting in a small cut under her right eye.

He also told police he was attempting to spank the child on the buttocks when the child turned and fell to the ground causing the flyswatter to make contact with the child’s face, the report said.

Christopher Waldroup told police, according to the report, that he had left marks on the same child with a belt, and that he also used the flyswatter to discipline two other children living in his home, ages four and seven. He told police he struck the child four to five times per day with the flyswatter, the report said.

Staci Waldroup also was interviewed by police and said, according to the report, that she was aware her husband was striking the child with the flyswatter, and said she had seen marks on the child’s body in the past.

She told police her husband said he used the flyswatter to discipline the children because, “the hand didn’t work,” according to the report.

The report said Staci Waldroup told the child to, “say she got into a fight with her brother if she was asked about the cut under her eye.”

Staci Waldroup told police she asked her husband to stop spanking the child with the flyswatter, and that she had spanked the child with the flyswatter, according to the report.

She also told police her husband spanked the child about four times per week, the report said.

Both originally were scheduled for a preliminary hearing in April, but that was continued until July. That hearing was rescheduled to this week.

If a preliminary hearing is conducted, the judge must determine whether there is probable cause to send the case to a Madison grand jury. If the hearing is waived, it will be sent directly to the grand jury for review.

Both Staci and Christopher Waldroup are free on a 10 percent, $10,000 cash bond.

If convicted, they could face up to 10 years in prison.

Emily Burton may be reached at eburton@richmondregister.com or at 624-6694. Follow Emily on Twitter at, RR_EBurton@twitter.com