A man from Paris, Texas, is facing charges of attempted capital murder after allegedly feeding his infant child gasoline, according to local law enforcement. Edgar James Bridgemon, 24, was also charged with evading arrest by the Paris Police Department.
The incident occurred on Saturday when police officers were called to assist Paris Emergency Services at a residence on the 1300 block of Pine Bluff Street. Upon arrival, they discovered that a 4-month-old infant had reportedly been given gasoline to drink by Bridgemon.
After identifying Bridgemon as the father of the infant, officers spotted him attempting to flee the scene on foot. Following a brief chase, Bridgemon was apprehended and taken into custody.
During questioning, Bridgemon confessed to giving his child gasoline with the intention of ending the infant’s life, according to the police. Consequently, he was arrested and charged with attempted capital murder. He was later processed and incarcerated.
A judge set Bridgemon’s bail at $255,000, with $250,000 attributed to the attempted capital murder charge and the remaining $5,000 for evading arrest.
Emergency medical personnel transported the infant to Paris Regional Medical Center. Due to the severity of the child’s condition, the infant was later transferred to another hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for further treatment.
The Paris Police Department has stated that the investigation into this disturbing incident is still ongoing.