St. Cloud Man Pleads Guilty to Abusing Infant Daughter

ST. CLOUD -- A St. Cloud man has pleaded guilty to physically abusing his infant daughter, leaving her with bruises and a fractured eye socket.

Twenty-five-year-old Scott Stang pleaded guilty to one count of Malicious Punishment of a child under four years old.

According to the complaint, the mother left the four-month-old child with Stang while she went out. When she returned an hour later, the mother said Stang was clutching his head and the child was screaming.

Records show the child had bruises on her cheeks, neck, arms, under her left eye, and on her back.

According to the complaint, Stang told investigators he didn't mean to squeeze the girl that hard, admitted to causing the bruising by pushing his thumbs into her head and admitted to holding the girl so tightly that he heard the child gasp for air.

Records also show text messages between Stang and the mother where Stang said he didn't mean to bruise her, that he was just trying to calm her down.

As part of the plea agreement charges of malicious punishment of a child - substantial bodily harm and felony domestic assault by strangulation were dropped.

He will be sentenced July 26th.