Zachary Bridwell was drunk when he went to bed the evening of January 1.
At 2 a.m., Bridwell woke up from a nightmare, heard his 5-month-old daughter crying and entered her room.
What happened next left the child in critical condition at Mercy Springfield, the victim of her own father, according to the probable cause statement filed in Lawrence County Circuit Court.
Bridwell provided his own explanation.
"I got a spurt of blood rage," he told an investigating officer for the Aurora-Marionville Police Department.
That "spurt of blood rage" put Bridwell, 23, Marionville, behind bars without bond charged with first degree assault, child abuse, statutory rape of the child's mother, an underage girl and sexual exploitation of a minor.
Bridwell is scheduled to be arraigned 9 a.m. Monday.
From the probable cause statement:
On 1-3-24, officers of the Aurora-Marionville Police Department were notified by Children's Division about a case of suspected child abuse. A 5-month-old infant was admitted to Mercy Hospital in Springfield with significant head injuries and suspicious bruising to the head and body.
Emergency surgery was performed to relieve a subdural hematoma in the baby's head. Medical professionals believed the baby suffered from Shaken Baby Syndrome and other physical abuse. Police later learned the baby also suffered a stroke because of its injuries.
I observed the infant in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. She was on a ventilator and considered to be in critical condition.
After I reviewed pre-surgery photos taken by medical staff, I determined the baby had bruises on her head, neck, jaw, ribs and legs in various stages of healing. The bruises on the head/face were consistent with a handprint and fingertips. Bridwell told medical staff the bruises occurred when he saved the baby from choking.
He stated one of the bruises on the baby's forehead occurred when she hit herself with a pacifier.
By the time Bridwell arrived at the Aurora police station, he was more forthcoming about the allegations against him, the probable cause statement indicates.
He admitted to being in an ongoing sexual relationship with the underage girl and that at one time he had nude photos of the child's mother and a video of the two of them having sex. He claimed he deleted the photos and video from his phone.
During the interview, Bridwell admitted to physically abusing the baby on multiple occasions. He confessed he regularly dropped the baby and on one occasion he slammed her down in her crib.
Bridwell told the officers what happened that evening in the baby's room.
He heard the baby crying, so he entered her room. He removed the child from her crib and grasped her around the neck. He turned the baby around with its back facing toward him. He laid her partially on the floor, but kept ahold of the baby's neck with her torso suspended off the floor. Bridwell stated he shook the head back and forth repeatedly.
Bridwell confessed he intentionally shook the baby's head back and forth approximately seven times. He stated he laid the baby back down, but he immediately picked her up again by the neck and shook her head approximately three more times. He stated he laid the baby back in the crib afterwards. He described her as "groaning. He stated he stuck a pacifier in the baby's mouth. The baby bit down on the pacifier and continued groaning.
He stated the baby's right arm and leg were shaking, but he was unsure if the baby was having a seizure.
Bridwell said he didn't want to kill the baby "only hurt her," according to the probable cause statement.
He stated he did not want to kill the baby, only hurt her. "possessed" while shaking his infant daughter. He stated he left like "a monster."
3 comments:
Evil. Pure evil. I hope prison gives him everything he deserves. That poor baby.
Another Sick, Evil, and Perverted, Pedophile - - Zachary Bridwell - should be taken out to the woods and taken care of - anyone that harms a child deserves the worst possible death - I hope someone takes out their - "spurt of blood rage" in jail on this Bastard - -
Parents - Please Protect Your Children - - they are the most Precious Gifts that you will ever be given. So sorry for this young child - I only Hope she Recovers and is able to get the counseling she needs to overcome this terrible innocent in her life and her mom gets away from this monster and she and others make better life choices than to be in relationships or marriage - with these Sick, Evil, and Perverted Pedophiles - - who would harm children. If you cannot Treat Your Children with Love and Respect - Please let your Parents, Grandparents - Raise your Child - - So many of these People today are so ill conceived and have no clue how to be a loving and supportive parent - - keep you children safe stop hanging around low-Lifes and learn how to be a good parent to your children.
Now it is up to the Judges, Prosecuting Attorneys, and Jurors - - Do Not let these Savages Off with just a Slap on the Wrist or Probation - - If he cannot be Killed - which I wish we had Frontier Justice - - He needs to spend the rest of his Sick Life in Jail.
We need to get Tougher on Criminals - - NO More Deals, Society is Tired of these Criminals.
Stop Feeling Sorry for the Criminals, and Start Feeling Sorry for the Victims.
My town really let this child down. I had no idea she had a baby or that she was in a relationship with a23 year old. Her mother skipped town and is high on drugs in California. Left when the girl was pregnant. The mother left her in his care. She needs brought back to Missouri and dealt with herself.
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