A man with a history of family violence is appealing his 25-year prison sentence for attacking a child in Wharton County. Adam Dave Abelar, 45, argues that two witnesses should not have been allowed to testify during his trial. These witnesses included a police officer who relayed the child’s statement and a crisis center representative who spoke about trauma. Prosecutors defend the testimony, saying it was crucial to understanding the abuse. Abelar was convicted of using a belt to strike a child and choking him in July of ’22.