Child abuse blamed on Iraq service

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http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,695198859,00.html

A man charged with starving his ex-girlfriend's 5-year-old daughter was suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome from his military service in Iraq and struggling with a drinking problem when he tried to care for the child, his defense attorney said Tuesday.

Michael John Bowden, 26, was charged with second-degree felony child abuse in connection with what prosecutors say was deliberate neglect and abuse of the girl, who has cerebral palsy and needs special care.

They also believe Bowden ran through the ex-girlfriend's bank account and squandered $14,000 of her money.

The mother, Anahi Ferrando, joined the U.S. Army, left the child legally in Bowden's care and was subsequently deployed to Iraq. Her daughter, Jade, weighed 30 pounds when her mom left but weighed bout 13 pounds when the girl was taken to a hospital months later.

Defense attorney Erin Eliason said Bowden had been traumatized by his own service in Iraq, was not getting psychiatric treatment after coming to Utah and also had no experience taking care of children, much less a special needs child.