A Missouri infant was saved Monday after her father attempted to drown her in a pond because he was having “bad thoughts,” then left her in the frigid water as he walked to the police station to report the crime, cops said.
Jonathon Zicarelli, 28, was charged with first-degree domestic assault after he attempted to kill his 6-month-old daughter by drowning her in a pond in Greenwood, FOX4KC reported. Zicarelli walked into Greenwood police station just after 10 a.m. Monday and told officers he drowned the child in a pond near a soccer field.
Police Chief Greg Hallgrimson and Cpl. Tom Calhoun rushed to the pond and discovered the infant floating face up in the water. The child was barely moving and had mud in her eyes, grass and water in her mouth. Her body temperature was also nearly 11 degrees below normal, FOX4KC reported.
The officers quickly jumped into the water to save the child, who had been in the water for more than 10 minutes by the time they arrived. Paramedics arrived and successfully revived the child, who was taken to the hospital and said to be in stable condition on Tuesday.
Greenwood police Lt. Aaron Fordham told the Kansas City Star it was “a miracle” the child survived the incident. Fordham added that Zacarelli had “no emotion whatsoever” when he reported the attempted killing.
“There was absolutely someone watching over that child today,” Fordham said.
Zicarelli later told deputies he drove to the pond, parked the car and walked back and forth three times before deciding to leave his daughter in the icy water. He said he was having “bad thoughts” and wanted to make it easier on his wife by getting rid of the child, FOX4KC reported.
He allegedly added he was stressed out while trying to provide for his family during the holidays.