Judge clears path to trial in child abuse case against former Chowchilla, Fresno police officer
Airfind news item
By Gabe Ferris
Published on May 2, 2026.
Former Chowchilla police officer, Douglas Divine, is accused of kidnapping and child abuse in Fresno County. He faces two misdemeanor counts of child cruelty and two felony counts of falsely imprisoning his 22-year-old son, Matthew Silva. Silva testified that Divine held him down and hit him four times before taking him and his siblings to their grandfather's house. The defense suggested Silva had a history of drug use and that Divine might have feared for his safety. The judge ruled there is enough evidence for prosecutors to take the case to trial.
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