More on child killed during dad's visitation; dad, girlfriend held without bail on forthcoming murder charges (Tampa, Florida)

We first posted on this case yesterday. Now it seems that Dad JUSTIN GARWACKI and his charming gal pal have been arrested, with murder charges forthcoming and no bail. (Funny how these courts never pull bail off the table till somebody is already dead.) The 3-year-old boy, who normally lives with his mother in Missouri, was killed during visitation with Daddy in Florida. Still no word on who decided it was a good idea to ship a toddler halfway across the country to stay with this @$$wipe for at least a month. Sadly, all it took was a month for these two morons to kill this baby. If it was a judge who ordered this craziness, it would sure be nice to find out who.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/aug/12/father-girlfriend-held-without-bail-after-toddlers/news-breaking/

Father, girlfriend held without bail after toddler's death

By JOSH POLTILOVE The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 12, 2010

TAMPA - On the day a 3-year-old boy died, his father had struck him several times and pulled a chair out from under him, causing the boy to strike the floor with a "thud," investigators said.

John Taylor Baxley died soon after being transported to St. Joseph's Hospital.

His father, 26-year-old Justin Garwacki, was arrested Wednesday on charges of aggravated child abuse, child abuse, child neglect and failing to report neglect of a child. Garwacki's girlfriend, 21-year-old Kara O'Connell, was arrested on the same charges.

They are being held without bail. At their first court appearance today, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Walter Heinrich told them murder charges will be forthcoming.

"We'll know more about that in the future," Heinrich told Garwacki.

Investigators said the toddler had bruising on his body, a bite mark on his right calf and a possible broken arm. An autopsy has been completed, but the cause of death is pending.

Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies said Garwacki and O'Connell had been responsible for the child's welfare since June 28.

Garwacki had picked up his son from Missouri, where the boy's mother lives.

On Tuesday night, deputies went to a home at 14023 Lemon Valley Place after Garwacki said his son wasn't breathing, a report states. O'Connell told investigators the boy began vomiting minutes after drinking juice and eating a Nutri-Grain bar, and that she put him in a tub, where he stopped breathing.

According to investigators, Garwacki said he had struck his son's head and body and that a week ago he had been teaching the boy how to hold his breath in the tub.

"He advised that when his son was not learning how to do it properly, he struck him in the head with his hand knocking him down" and causing the boy to hit his head on the tub, the report states.

Garwacki and O'Connell then filled a sock with uncooked rice and heated it in the microwave before placing it on the boy's head, burning him, the report states.

O'Connell said she also struck the child's face and body and once had lifted him by his throat because he wouldn't listen to her, investigators said.