Man gets plea deal in baby-shaking case

YOUNGSTOWN — A Springfield Township man convicted of violently shaking his 2-month-old child is facing up to eight years in prison.

David Bowdish, 27, of Struthers Road, under a plea agreement with prosecutors, pleaded guilty today to one count of felony child endangering before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. As part of the plea agreement a second charge of felony child endangering was dismissed.

Bowdish will be sentenced April 22. He could be sentenced to eight years in prison, but prosecutors, as part of the agreement, are recommending a sentence of six years in prison.

Police arrested Bowdish after shaking his 2-month-old child in December, which caused the child serious physical harm. Prosecutors declined to say how much harm was done to the child until after the sentencing in April.