Marcus Dewayne McCowan Jr. Tried to Kill Newborn: Cops

Marcus Dewayne McCowan Jr.

An 18-year-old man in Texas was arrested this week after allegedly breaking into a hospital ward where he viciously assaulted two newborns and several staff members.

Marcus Dewayne McCowan Jr. was taken into custody on Monday and charged with a range of crimes including two counts of first-degree attempted capital murder. prison records reviewed by the Law & Crime Show.

according to a press release Odessa Police Department officers responded to multiple 911 calls about a disturbance at the Odessa Regional Medical Center on the 500 block of East 6th Street around 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 3. Hospital staff told police that a man “broke into the daycare and began attacking patients and staff,” the press release said.

First responders reportedly arrived at the scene after a therapist was able to temporarily overpower McCowan, but when he made contact with the suspect, police said he was “aggressive towards officers, which resulted in a physical altercation”. During the altercation with several officers, McCowan reportedly “attempted to unholster one of her firearms” but was unsuccessful.

A copy of the probable cause affidavit received from ABC affiliate KMID, based near Midland, Texas, provided additional details about what witnesses told investigators who saw them before police arrived.

McCowan was reportedly in the hospital because his girlfriend was in labour; he is said to have behaved “strangely and unreasonably” before the alleged attack. He then reportedly grabbed a nurse’s arm, made an “incomprehensible statement” and was asked to leave. Instead, he reportedly started “pacing back and forth around the hall.”

Upon seeing a young mother being discharged with a baby in a stretcher, he reportedly began staring at the child until the mother took the baby out of sight and he walked away. But a short time later, McCowan reportedly began sprinting towards the mother and three nurses, knocking one of the nurses to the ground as he attempted to enter the locked nursery where newborns were being brought.

Unable to enter the nursery, McCowan allegedly grabbed the baby from the carrier and fled to a lactation room. A nurse reportedly told police she gave chase and saw McCowan strangle the baby by the neck.

“Nurses said the infant’s face had become discolored due to lack of oxygen before they could wrestle the baby away and remove it from the lactation room,” reported KMID.

A therapist who heard the commotion arrived at the scene and reportedly observed McCowan successfully break into the child’s room. There, the therapist reportedly said McCowan began strangling another newborn by wrapping both hands around the little girl’s neck.

“McCowan then picked up the baby, who was now turning blue, by the neck and started shaking it,” KMID reported. “Therapist said McCowan said ‘die’ to the infant and made a move as if to throw her to the ground.”

However, the therapist reportedly caught up with McCowan and attempted to slowly lower him to the ground while protecting the baby’s head. according to a report out Odessa Americanthe baby “turned purple” when a security officer arrived and helped the therapist take the baby away from McCowan.

McCowan is currently being held in the Ector County Jail. In addition to charges of attempted murder, he also faces one count each of possession of a controlled substance, attempting to take a gun from an officer, assaulting an officer, resisting arrest, criminal trespassing and assault. The controlled substance charges stem from officers who allegedly found a THC vape pen in McCowan’s possession, according to the report.

[image via Ector County Sheriff]

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