A Florida man was charged with manslaughter after his 4-month-old daughter died in Cocoa, according to reports.
According to an affidavit, the infant was found by the dad, 44-year-old Kevin Dorgan, on Sept. 5 lying face down on the floor between a mattress and a concrete wall.
However, the mother said the baby had not yet learned to roll over and was always on her back.
A 2-year-old was also at the home during the incident.
When officers with the Cocoa Police Department arrived, the dad was outside the residence. Once inside, officers found the home littered with animal feces on the floor, dishes and old food in the kitchen, and soiled bedding in the bedroom.
The father told police he laid his daughter down on her back on the mattress and went to watch YouTube videos in another room, the affidavit said. He said his 2-year-old daughter was whining and he changed her diaper, checking on the infant afterward.
Fifteen minutes later he said the toddler began whining about her Elmo show, so he put the show back on and went to check on the infant again, where he found her face down on the floor, according to the affidavit.
Dorgan said in a police interview that when he checked on her, she was face down but “looked fine.”
He claimed to have checked on her 15 minutes after he put her down, but his browser history showed 18 browser searchers from 5:57 p.m. to 7:56 p.m.
The 911 call was made at 8:01. He told police he began CPR on a couch right after.
Body camera footage showed the officer performing life-saving measures on the child while awaiting EMS. The video caught Dorgan telling authorities that “she rolled over, she just fell on the bed.”
Dorgan is also heard telling officers that “he [expletive] up,” and left her on the bed and should not have done that.”
When the officer asked what he meant by saying that he “[expletive] up,” Dorgan responded that he knew he shouldn’t have left her on the bed.
When the mom was interviewed, she told police she is the primary caregiver during the days and usually lays with the baby and plays with her on the bed.
The mom asked police several times if the dad was in trouble for the incident and asked if the baby had been shaken. When officers asked why she would think that, she told them she just wanted reassurance.
After a month in the hospital, the baby was pronounced dead on Oct. 7 at around 1:35 a.m.
Officials said Dorgan did commit the offense of aggravated manslaughter and showed “reckless disregard for human life,” in accordance with Florida State Statue 782.07(3).
Police said he placed the baby on the bed, who is incapable of caring for themselves, and died as a result of his choice to place the victim in the crib/pack and plays. When he said that “he [expletive] up,” officers took that as showing consciousness of guilt.
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