Dad smashes rear windshield with shotgun; fractures skull of infant daughter (Williamsburg, Indiana)

Dad JOSHUA TODD HILDEBRAND was swinging the butt of his shotgun at the rear windshield of the car where his wife was holding their infant daughter. Relatives were trying to rescue the mom and two children at the time of the attack. The baby was hit, and suffered from a skull fracture. Dad apparently tried to abduct the 4-year-old daughter after all this too, but she was recovered. But after all that, Dad's only been charged with criminal recklessness.

Daily lesson to journalists: When a flipping nutcase freak goes off like this, we don't have a "domestic dispute" and we don't have an "argument" or even a "heated argument." We have a violent criminal where the victims of his rampage are family members. Would you use the word "dispute" if some street hustler smashed your windshield when you wouldn't give him a dollar at a red light? Obviously not. So stop using misleading language.

http://www.pal-item.com/article/20090825/NEWS01/908250307

August 25, 2009
Dad held after baby injured
Police: Domestic dispute leads to infant's skull fracture, brain bleed; child taken to Riley
BY MIKE BENNETT STAFF WRITER

A Williamsburg man has been charged with criminal recklessness after his 3½-month-old daughter was seriously injured during a domestic dispute Saturday.

Joshua Todd Hildebrand, 25, of 10509 Carlos Road, was lodged in Wayne County Jail at 4:43 p.m. Saturday.

The charge is a Class D felony, which carries a range of six months to three years in jail and a $10,000 fine upon conviction.

He must post a $20,000 surety bond to be released.

After firing a warning shot into the air, Hildebrand allegedly swung the butt of a shotgun at the right rear passenger window of the car where his wife was holding their daughter, Jayden.

The infant was showered with glass and apparently her head was struck with the butt of the gun.

She was transported to Reid Hospital, then to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

"Reid staff discovered that Jayden had suffered a skull fracture with a minor brain bleed," stated the incident report by Wayne County Sheriff's Officer Randy Neil Wright.

The baby's condition was unavailable Monday.

Hildebrand and witnesses said he fired the shotgun into the air to scare relatives who were trying to drive away with his wife and two children after a heated argument.

Hildebrand grabbed his 4-year-old daughter out of the car. She was placed with Child Protective Services after her father was arrested.