Babysitting boyfriend beats 5-year-old girl, spins her in clothes dryer (Rockland, Massachusetts)

ERIC ZAWADZKI was babysitting for his girlfriend when he assaulted her 5-year-old daughter. The doctor says the injuries were "the worst she'd seen." Another woman has an order of protection against Zawadzski, too. I wonder if this mom even knew. Or whether she had been convinced by the boyfriend that the woman was lying--a tactic encouraged by fathers rights people, particularly in Massachusetts (i.e. that women "always lie" about abuse, and that orders of protection are handed out like candy.) I guess Mom knows the truth now.

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Police%3A+5-year-old+beaten%2C+then+spun+in+dryer&articleId=01231fb7-d605-4236-877c-0de9883a1259

Police: 5-year-old beaten, then spun in dryer
By DALE VINCENT New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009

Manchester – A man is accused of choking and punching his girlfriend’s 5-year-old daughter and putting her in a clothes dryer that he then spun by hand.

Eric Zawadzki, 30, of Rockland, Mass., who has been living with the woman and her child at 285 East High St., could enter no plea this morning in Manchester District Court to a felony charge of second-degree assault.

He is being held on $100,000 cash/surety bail. A probable cause hearing was set for Sept. 1.
As to the possibility of additional charges, Police Sgt. James Soucy of the juvenile unit today said, “We can’t rule it out.” He said the investigation is ongoing.

In court, police prosecutor Lt. Robert Cunha sought to maintain the high bail set following Zawadzki’s arrest, saying the photos of the child’s injuries showed “an egregious assault on a 5-year-old girl."

The affidavit supporting Zawadzki’s arrest said the child’s mother had left her in the care of her boyfriend Monday night and the boyfriend’s explanation for the child’s injuries were that he had to slap her for being fresh and that the child had fallen in the shower when reaching for a shampoo bottle.

According to the affidavit, police spoke with the child after her mother reported the assault yesterday. The girl said Zawadzki became angry with her and choked her with his hands around her neck, lifting her from the floor as he did so. She said he hit her in the face and head and punched her in the legs before putting her in the clothes dryer and spinning the tub with his hands.

In court today, Cunha said the physician who examined the child said the injuries were the worst she’d seen. Police described the injuries as bruising to the child’s face, shoulder, legs, buttocks and vaginal area, as well as a swollen upper lip.

Cunha said there is a current protective order against Zawadzki in Massachusetts that limits his contact with a woman and child. He also said Zawadzki was given a bad conduct discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps after being convicted of aggravated assault and maiming in a court martial in June 2000.