CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A Cheyenne man accused of putting his 15-month-old daughter in scalding bath water last year has pleaded guilty.
The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports that 22-year-old Charles W. Keppel pleaded guilty Friday in Laramie County District Court to physical child abuse. It was a lesser charge than he originally faced, aggravated child abuse.
Prosecutors are expected to recommend five to seven years in prison.
Keppel told his attorney, Ross McKelvey, that he started a bath for the girl on March 14, 2016, with only hot water and did not check the temperature before putting her in.
“And you would agree that you acted recklessly?” McKelvey asked him.
“Yes,” Keppel replied.
Keppel also confirmed that the girl suffered physical injuries as a result of being put in the hot bath water.
Charging documents say the girl suffered burns on a third of her body and had to be transferred to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, Colorado, for treatment.
Keppel and 24-year-old Samantha A. Gurwell both were charged with aggravated child abuse after the incident.
Court records indicate that Gurwell still is awaiting trial.
Her attorney filed a motion earlier this month to continue the trial date, saying she needs more time to investigate the case and procure experts.
As a result, Gurwell’s February trial date was moved to mid-March.
According to formal charging documents, Gurwell and Keppel took the girl to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center several hours after she was burned.
The parents initially said Gurwell was in the bathtub with the girl when she was burned. Four days later, they changed their story to say the girl was in the bathtub alone while Gurwell undressed to get in with her.
Gurwell later changed her story again to say Keppel was alone in the bathroom with the girl.
Doctors at Children’s Hospital told detectives it would have taken at least three to four minutes of being in that scalding water for the girl to suffer burns as severe as she did, and that she would have been in excruciating pain.
The girl also was found to have bruises on her face, as well as a healing fracture in her left foot, and doctors documented chronic malnutrition.
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Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle, https://www.wyomingnews.com
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