Trial set for dad charged with attempted murder

PROVO — A two-day trial is set for a Provo man who allegedly took his children to a cliff near Point of the Mountain and told them they were "going to see Jesus."

Christopher Wayne Young, 36, faces three first-degree felony charges of attempted murder — one for each of his children — and three second-degree felony counts of child abuse.

Young, who entered a not guilty plea Tuesday in 4th District Court, is scheduled to stand trial Nov. 8 and 9. A pretrial hearing is set for Oct. 31.

On April 18, Young took his three children — ages 6, 4 and 20 months — from their mother, Adella Young, and told them they were going to the park for an hour.

Prosecutors say Young then called his estranged wife and told her she wouldn't see the kids again because he planned to hurt them and himself.

The children later told police their father threatened to drive off a cliff and take them to heaven to meet Jesus, according to the police report.