"Newborn Jane Doe" - 2 Months/ Accused: Richard Chase - Sioux Falls SD

A 22-year-old man who police say admitted to severely beating a
2-month-old girl in a fit of frustration pleaded not guilty to assault
and child abuse charges Tuesday morning.Richard
Jonathan Chase was arraigned on one count of aggravated assault of a
child younger than 3, one count of aggravated assault with extreme
indifference to human life and two counts of abuse or cruelty to a
minor. If convicted on all counts, he could face up to 70 years in prison.
The 2-month-old victim was the child of Chase's live-in girlfriend, who is 17.
The charges stem from two separate assaults on the evening before the
infant's trip to the emergency room July 19, court documents say.
The victim was in critical condition, having sustained brain hemorrhaging, broken ribs and unexplained bruises.
The girl still is recovering, police spokesman Sam Clemens said Tuesday.
“The baby is still alive,” Clemens said, but he did not have a specific condition to report.
Chase spoke with detectives soon after the baby arrived at Sanford Hospital’s
emergency center. He told police he'd met the baby's mother online
while she was pregnant and promised to care for her child.

http://www.argusleader.com/article/20110809/UPDATES/110809097/Man-22-pleads-not-guilty-beating-2-month-old-girl?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home