A Texas man was arrested after he reportedly entered a newborn baby nursery, assaulted patients and staff, snatched a baby, and choked it while saying, “Die!”
The Odessa, Texas police department reported the horrific incident on Facebook:
On October 03, 2022, Officers of the Odessa Police Department responded to Odessa Regional Medical Hospital in reference to a disturbance. According to the staff at ORMC, a man forced his way into the Nursery and began assaulting patients and staff. Upon arrival, Officers contacted Marcus McCowan Jr (18 years of age). During this contact, McCowan was aggressive toward officers, which led to a physical altercation.
During this altercation, McCowan resisted the officers and attempted to take one of their firearms from its holster. The officers were able to take McCowan into custody. This is still a very active investigation, and numerous charges are pending. The victims of this assault are listed as two infants, two nurses, and one Odessa Police Officer.
The Odessa Police Department is working with ORMC staff to ensure the safety of all hospital residents. As more details emerge, we will update further.
Marcus McGowan Jr. was arrested and charged with two counts of Attempted Capital Murder, as well as Assault, Assault of a Public Servant, Resisting Arrest, Attempting to Take a Weapon From an Officer, Criminal Trespass, and Possession of a Controlled Substance.
This isn't just mental illness.
We tend to put every shocking act under that umbrella.
This is demonic."Marcus Dewayne McCowan Jr. Broke into Hospital Nursery,
Said ‘Die!’ as He Strangled and Shook Newborn Babies Until They Turned Blue"https://t.co/GfHhkxIIZQ— Xappeal (@_Tweetiez) October 6, 2022
Your Basin reported:
On Monday evening, the Odessa Police Department arrested an 18-year-old man who allegedly broke into the newborn nursery at Odessa Regional Medical Center and assaulted two infants along with a group of medical staff trying to help the babies. Now an affidavit has revealed new details about the events that led to the arrest of Marcus McCowan Jr.
McCowan has been charged with two counts of Attempted Capital Murder, as well as Assault, Assault of a Public Servant, Resisting Arrest, Attempting to Take a Weapon From an Officer, Criminal Trespass, and Possession of a Controlled Substance.
According to the affidavit, around 6:30 p.m. on October 3, officers with the Odessa Police Department were called to ORMC, located at 520 E 6th Street after nurses called 911 and said a man was choking an infant. Officers arrived on the scene and, after a brief scuffle in which McCowan tried to resist, placed him in handcuffs. Investigators said as McCowan was being escorted away, he tried twice to take an officer’s gun from his holster but was unsuccessful.
Once McCowan was removed from the Labor and Delivery unit, investigators met with several nurses and a respiratory therapist who explained in detail what transpired.
McCowan was visiting the hospital because his girlfriend was in labor. According to one nurse, McCowan approached her at the nurse’s station and grabbed her arm and made an “unintelligible statement”. He was asked to leave the area and nurses said he then began running back and forth in the hall. The nurses called McCowan’s actions “odd and unreasonable”.
Law & Crime added:
Unable to get into the nursery, McCowan allegedly snatched the baby from the carrier and fled into a lactation room. A nurse reportedly told police that she gave chase and saw McCowan strangling the baby by the neck.
“Nurses said the infant’s face changed color from lack of oxygen before they were able to wrestle the baby away and remove him from the Lactation Room,” KMID reported.
A therapist who heard the commotion arrived at the scene and reportedly watched McCowan successfully force his way into the nursery. There, the therapist reportedly said McCowan began to strangle another newborn, placing both of his hands around the baby girl’s neck.
“McCowan then picked up the baby, who had since turned blue, by her neck and began to shake her,” KMID reported. “The therapist said McCowan said ‘die’ to the infant and made a move as if he were going to throw her to the ground.”
However, the therapist reportedly caught up with McCowan and tried to slowly bring him to the ground while simultaneously protecting the baby’s head. According to a report from Odessa American, the baby was “turning purple” when a security officer arrived and helped the therapist get the baby away from McCowan.
From News West 9:
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