LARGO, Fla. (WFLA) – A Florida man was arrested after detectives say he fatally beat a 7-week-old baby.
According to detectives, around 5:04 p.m. on Nov. 17, deputies were called to a home located on 117th Street North for an unresponsive child.
When deputies arrived, paramedics were rendering aid to 7-week-old Gwendolyn Eydelman.
Detectives said Gwendolyn was unresponsive and not breathing.
She was taken to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital with life threatening injuries.
Detectives made contact with her father, Artem Eydelman, 29.
He was at the home caring for Gwendolyn when the child’s mother, Mariah Samon, 26, was at work.
Eydelman initially told detectives he fed his daughter and laid her down in her bassinet before falling asleep in his bed.
Detectives said Gwendolyn’s bassinet was located in her parents’ bedroom.
Eydelman claimed he returned 15 minutes later and found the child unresponsive in her bassinet.
Eydelman said he alerted a family member in the home and called 911.
Doctors informed detectives that Gwendolyn suffered a severe skull fracture consistent with high-force impact, bleeding on the brain and numerous rib fractures consistent with compression trauma.
The 7-week-old was removed from life support and succumbed to her injuries on Nov. 19.
Detectives identified several inconsistencies in Eydelman’s statement during the investigation.
Detectives learned that Eydelman struck Gwendolyn in the head with a closed fist out of frustration while changing her diaper on Nov. 17.
He admitted to shaking the child and squeezing her midsection prior to calling 911.
Detectives arrested Eydelman and took him to the Pinellas County Jail without incident.
He is charged with one count of first degree murder and two counts of violation of probation.
Detectives said Eydelman was not the child’s biological father.
The mother informed detectives she first met Eydelman when she was three months pregnant and he signed Gwendolyn’s birth certificate.
The investigation is ongoing.
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