Dad ‘let toddler drown in river while he drank with pals before refusing to tell child’s mom what happened’ – The Sun
A DAD is accused of letting his toddler drown in a river while he was allegedly drinking with friends – then "refused" to tell the mom what happened.
Isaac McEwan, 21, claims that he took his eye off 18-month-old Heaven for less than a minute on the day that she died in July.
He told police that he spotted her floating face down in the White River, near Hartford, Vermont.
When McEwan called Heaven's mother Teresa Terrazas, he allegedly wouldn't explain why she had to rush to the hospital, Metro US reported.
She added: "[Isaac] called me about 6:00pm July 22nd and told me 'Get to the hospital now something bad has happened to Heaven.'
"He wouldn’t say what so the whole ride there I was frantic and thinking the worst."
In hospital, Teresa saw her lifeless child on life support and two days later Heaven would succumb to her injuries.
DOWNING DRINKS
On Tuesday, police charged McEwan and his girlfriend Laura Shaw, 28, with child endangerment.
They also faced a count of obstruction of justice for allegedly lying to police.
They were arrested after it was claimed the pair were downing alcoholic Twisted Iced Tea with friends instead of watching McEwan's kids.
The dad-of-two claimed that he was picking berries with his other daughter when Heaven went into the water, but an eyewitness has contested this version of events.
John Tidwell claimed that the two girls were playing in the river unsupervised and that the older sister alerted the dad to Heaven drowning.
He said the group were "standing on the bank, hanging out" and not watching the girls.
'COACHED' LIES
Cassandra Shea, one of McEwan's friends, claimed that Shaw was "shotgunning" drinks too.
She also alleged that the dad "coached" and instructed her to tell police that she was "too drunk to remember anything".
Previously, Shaw had backed-up her partner's claims about the events on that day.
McEwan spoke out in a bid to dispute the questions over his parenting.
He told Metro US: "I am very bothered by everything that has been happening.
"I tried for 30 minutes giving CPR because the ambulance services took so long to get there."
I am a father in a time of suffering trying to cope.
McEwan went onto add: "I am a father in a time of suffering trying to cope with everything that has gone on and still be able to make it to work and appointments and get things figured out."
The dad claimed that the group had been at the river for 30 minutes before his daughter drowned, which police have disputed.
They found multiple cans of the alcoholic drink, which could suggest the group were there for a longer period of time.
McEwan was on probation for careless driving at the time of the death and was banned from drinking alcohol as part of the terms.
Both McEwan and Shaw are free on bail until their next court hearing.
An additional charge of child cruelty against the pair was dropped.
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