Dad, girfriend plead not guilty in death of toddler (Tampa, Florida)

Well thank goodness the headline is right for once. Often these are written as "Couple pleads not guilty" or "Parents plead not guilty." In fact, the mother of this baby lived in the state of Missouri, with this 3-year-old boy subjected to out-of-state visitation for the summer. Even in good circumstances, this is too much upheaval for a child this young. In this case, the results ended in this toddler's horrible death. Whose idea was it that Daddy JUSTIN GARWACKI should have visitation anyway? Have yet to see anybody take credit, funny as that may sound. We've posted on this case before, obviously.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39270759/ns/local_news-tampa_fl

Father, girlfriend plead not guilty in death of toddler
Josh Poltilove
Tampa Bay Online
updated 9/20/2010 12:46:09 PM ET

TAMPA — Less than two months after a 3-year-old boy died, his father and his father's girlfriend have pleaded not guilty to aggravated child abuse charges.

John Taylor Baxley died Aug. 10 after being transported to St. Joseph's Hospital.

Justin Garwacki, 26, and his girlfriend, Kara O'Connell, face charges including aggravated child abuse, child abuse, child neglect and failing to report child abuse.

Today, Garwacki pleaded not guilty. O'Connell has entered a written plea of not guilty.

They are being held without bail. A disposition was scheduled for Nov. 4.

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

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.

Investigators said that on the day Baxley died, Garwacki struck him several times and pulled a chair out from under him, causing the boy to strike the floor with a "thud."

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 prior to that, 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.