Beck is accused of causing the death of his daughter Cady on Dec. 22. Normally bail is denied for a capital offense such as first degree murder, but because the district attorney's office had not formally charged Beck, defense attorney Colleen Scissors argued successfully that he was eligible for bail. She pointed out the many family and church members who filled the courtroom in support of Beck.

"All of these people who have known my client for various periods of time will tell you he loved Cady," Scissors said.

Assistant district attorney Wiley Christopher argued that only Beck was present when Cady suffered the traumatic injuries which resulted in death. "We have well more than probable cause to support charges of first degree murder or child abuse resulting in death," Christopher said. He suggested a $1 million bond.

"A million dollar bond seems absolutely outrageous to me," Scissors told Judge Miller. "Daven is clearly not a flight risk. He's living with his parents and they are keeping close watch over him because they are worried about him."

Cady Beck

According to the arrest affidavit, Daven Beck was caring for Cady and her 2-year-old sister at their home on B Street while his wife Desiree was at work.

When she left for work shortly before 8 a.m., Desiree told investigators, Cady was alert, cooing and smiling. Late that afternoon, Daven called her at work to tell her that Cady was "breathing funny and her body was limp." Desiree told Daven to take Cady to their pediatrician, who had been treating Cady for diarrhea. Daven first picked up his sister-in-law and took her back to the house to watch the 2-year-old.

At the doctor's office, Daven explained Cady's behavior to the nurses. The RN on duty listened to Cady's heart, then told Daven to get her to the emergency room immediately. The nurse phoned the emergency room so there would be no delay in treatment when Cady arrived.

Dr. William McGuire, the emergency room physician at Delta County Memorial Hospital, ordered CAT scans of Cady's brain. He told officers later that the test showed bleeding in the brain and a blown pupil. Dr. McGuire told investigators this condition is most commonly caused by trauma. A short time later, Cady was flown to Children's Hospital in Aurora on a fixed wing airplane. Family members followed by car.

Investigators made arrangements for a detective from the Aurora Police Department to coordinate with medical personnel and be on hand when the family arrived. Doctors there informed the family that Cady's injuries were caused by "non-accidental trauma."

Their medical opinions were confirmed by an autopsy report completed by Dr. Michael Arnall. The cause of death was determined to be "blunt trauma to the head and neck." County coroner Chalmer Swain subsequently classified Cady's death as a homicide.

During the autopsy, Dr. Arnall found multiple bruises, a subdural hematoma (bleeding on the surface of the brain), and bleeding in the muscles of Cady's neck, the result of "severe flexion and extension of the neck."

"It is unlikely that the child would appear healthy for a significant period of time with this particular ‘constellation' of fatal traumatic injuries," he's quoted as telling investigators.

The case was also reviewed by the Kempe Child Protection Team, a panel of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and social workers which is consulted in cases where trauma is the likely cause of a child's injury.

Asked how much time could have passed from the point of injury, to when Cady would have become symptomatic, team member Dr. Sandeep Narang said Cady "would have been symptomatic immediately."

At the bond hearing, defense attorney Scissors said Cady, unfortunately, had severe problems from birth, including a heart murmur and muscle tone issues. She said the defendant consistently worked with Cady to improve her muscle tone.

And shortly before Cady was hospitalized, she said, both girls had vaccinations which caused diarrhea. "This baby was sick for weeks," she said.

Beck will be back in court April 8 to hear the charges against him.

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