LINK> Court documents on the case (Graphic content)

SPOKANE -- A Spokane couple accused of abusing their 4-year-old daughter to death will go to trial in January 2008.

Phelps Family

4-year-old Summer Phelps died March 11th.

Jonathan and Adriana Lytle both appeared in Spokane Co. Superior Court this morning on charges of murder by abuse. Both previously pleaded not guilty.

Last month, Jonathan brought his daughter, 4-year-old Summer Phelps to Deaconess Medical Center, claiming she was found unconscious in the bathtub.

Doctors attempted to revive Summer, but she later died.

Court documents show Summer lived with her father, stepmother, and six-month old brother Johnny Lytle in their apartment located at 707 N. Monroe.

Jon Lytle maintained during questioning that bruises and injuries on Summer's body formed as a result of the little girl's temper tantrums.

Lytle also told authorities that prior to taking Summer to the hospital, she had been in the bathroom cleaning clothes in the bathtub for nearly 10 hours.