Largo Man Charged With Beating 7-Week-Old Baby To Death

LARGO, FL -- Pinellas County Sheriff's detectives have charged a Largo man with beating a 7-week-old baby to death.

On Nov. 17 at 5:04 p.m., deputies were called to a home in the 12000 block of 117th Street North in unincorporated Largo for a report of an unresponsive baby. When deputies arrived, paramedics were rendering aid to 7-week-old Gwendolyn Eydelman who was not breathing.

She was transported to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital with life-threatening injuries. She died at 4:45 p.m. Nov. 19 after doctors removed her life support.

During their investigation, detectives spoke with the baby's father, 29-year-old Artem Eydelman, who was at home caring for Gwendolyn while her mother, 26-year-old Mariah Samon, was at work.

Eydelman initially told detectives that he fed the baby and then laid her in her bassinet in the couple's bedroom before falling asleep himself. He said he checked on the baby about 15 minutes later and she wasn't breathing. He said he called 911 and alerted a family member in the home.

However, doctors told detectives that Gwendolyn had suffered a severe skull fracture consistent with a high-force impact, which caused bleeding on the brain. She also had numerous rib fractures consistent with compression trauma.

Detectives questioned Eydelman on Monday, Nov. 26, at the Sheriff's Administration Building in Largo. During the interview, Eydelman admitted to striking the the baby in the head with a closed fist and shaking the baby and squeezing her midsection, causing her to lose consciousness.

He's been charged with one count of first-degree murder. He is also charged with violation of probation for robbery by sudden snatching and dealing in stolen property.

Eydleman was not Gwendolyn's biological father. Mariah Samon told detectives that she met Eydleman when she was three months' pregnant. However, Eydelman signed the baby's birth certificate when she was born.

Image via Pinellas Sheriff

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