Dad charged with homicide, accused of slamming 17-month-old daughter to floor and killing her (North Charleston, South Carolina)

Is EUGENE ANTHONY WRIGHT a single father? Notice that there is no mention of a mother in the home or anywhere else. And why does a guy with this kind of violent criminal background have any child access at all? A lot of back story is not being told here.

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20140421/PC16/140429893

Father faces homicide charge after North Charleston police say he slammed toddler to floor

BY ANDREW KNAPP
Posted: Monday, April 21, 2014 12:42 p.m.

A 17-month-old girl has died after police detectives said Monday that the toddler's father slammed her to the floor of their North Charleston apartment.

The charges against Eugene Anthony Wright, 46, of Dorchester Road were upgraded Monday to homicide by child abuse. The felony count is punishable by between 20 years and life in prison. Wright's daughter died Saturday at Medical University Hospital, according to arrest affidavits by the North Charleston Police Department.

Deputy Coroner Brittney Martin identified the girl as Payton Williams.

The alleged ordeal unfolded Wednesday in their home at the Dorchester Gardens Apartments at 5600 Dorchester Road.

Around 2:30 that afternoon, Wright was overcome by "angry rage," the police said. He lifted his daughter above his head and threw her "violently" to the hard kitchen floor, they said.

The girl's head hit the floor.

Wright left his injured toddler behind and walked out the door, the affidavits stated.

She was taken to the hospital, where doctors found catastrophic injuries, according to the documents. They uncovered bleeding and swelling near her brain, bleeding behind her eyes and edema along her spine, the paperwork stated.

Wright was arrested and first jailed early Friday morning on a count of inflicting great bodily injury on a child, a count punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Magistrate Linda Lombard denied his bail on the new charge during a hearing Monday morning.

Wright's criminal history contains seven arrests on misdemeanor charges.

His first came in 1990, an arrest for which he was convicted of possessing marijuana with intent to distribute.

A 1993 arrest on a domestic violence charge was later dropped.

His other trips to jail came after he was found in contempt of family court between 2000 and 2012.