The many injuries to the heads and chests of infants Tyler and Savannah Yates means their deaths in April were not accidents, a pathologist said during the preliminary hearing for their father, murder defendant David Yates.

David Yates, 45, of Baraboo, appeared in a Baraboo courtroom Friday as Sauk County District Attorney Patricia Barrett presented her evidence he should face trial on two counts of first-degree intentional homicide.

Baraboo Patrol Officer Mike Pichler testified he was called to David Yates' home on the evening of April 13 after the children's mother, Susan Bird-Winbun, came to the residence to pick up the children. She called police after Yates did not answer her knocks on the door.

David Yates said a friend had picked up the children, Picher testified, but he said he found them nearly lying atop one another under a bed. When he touched one child's foot, it was cold, he said.

Pathologist Robert Corliss said the two children died of blunt force trauma to their heads. The combination of head and chest injuries suffered by the infants could only have been accidental if they had been in a multiple-roll-over car accident, he said.

The injuries were consistent with someone holding the children's chests in both hands and striking them against something, he said.

After more than two hours of testimony, Sauk County Circuit Court Judge James Evenson bound David Yates over for trial.