Dad charged with child abuse and assault by strangulation of 3-month-old daughter offered plea deal (Bay City, Michigan)

He has a criminal history and the baby has evidence of prior abuse. He lied about what happened in the last incident. Why the coddling? Oh right, it's typical for abuser daddies.

Dad is identified as GARRETT D. GWIZDALA.

http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2014/10/bay_city_father_charged_with_c.html

Bay City father charged with abusing 3-month-old daughter offered plea deal

By Cole Waterman on October 13, 2014 at 12:00 PM, updated October 13, 2014 at 12:03 PM

BAY CITY, MI — Prosecutors have leveled a plea offer to a Bay City man accused of physically abusing his 3-month-old daughter.

If Garrett D. Gwizdala, 25, pleads guilty or no contest to single counts of first-degree child abuse and assault by strangulation, prosecutors say they'll dismiss one count of second-degree child abuse. First-degree child abuse is a life offense, while the other two charges are 10-year felonies.

The plea agreement stipulates that Gwizdala would also be subject to a habitual offender, second offense, sentencing enhancement.

Gwizdala on Friday, Oct. 3, waived his right to have a preliminary examination in Bay County District Court and was bound over to Circuit Court. No date has been set there, either for Gwizdala to plead or face trial.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred at his residence in the 3400 block of North Euclid Avenue the afternoon of Wednesday, June 25. According to police, Gwizdala called 911 at 5:32 p.m., requesting medical attention for his daughter who was not breathing.

A Bay County Sheriff's deputy also responded to the house. Gwizdala initially said he was lying on a couch with the baby on his chest, and that the child fell off and landed face-down on the floor, Undersheriff Troy Cunningham previously said.

"He later made admissions to what really happened, and we learned his original story was completely false," Cunningham said, adding the child's mother was not home at the time of the alleged incident.

Cunningham said Gwizdala told detectives he knowingly hurt the child. Gwizdala told detectives he obstructed the child's breathing and was upset because she wouldn't stop crying, Cunningham said.

The baby was taken via ambulance to McLaren Bay Region hospital and later transferred to Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw for further treatment. Cunningham said the baby had injuries that indicated prior abuse.

Gwizdala previously served a three-year probation term after pleading guilty to second-degree home invasion, a crime he committed in October 2008. He was discharged from probation on Feb. 1, 2012.