Crawford to serve 20 years in severe child abuse case

By SUSAN SHARP

A man accused of using a horse riding crop and biting a child in order to “discipline” a little girl has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

In 2017, Zach Crawford (top photo – R) was arrested for inflicting heinous abuse on a five- year-old girl.

Yesterday, he pleaded guilty to 18 counts of child abuse and neglect in a child under eight years of age and aggravated child abuse and neglect in a child under eight years of age.

The 20 years will be served at 100-percent meaning Crawford will not be eligible for early release.

Following the arrest, Crawford allegedly admitted to police he had used “discipline” on the little girl that included hitting her with an open palm, striking her with a horse’s riding crop and that he also “disciplined” her with his “mouth by using his teeth.” Crawford allegedly went on tell police he “strangled” the child “around her neck using his legs.” He allegedly applied so much force around the neck, petechiae resulted. Petechiae is a condition that occurs when capillaries rupture leaving blood spots in the eyes.

Police determined that Crawford used “a dangerous weapon” on the little girl during the course of the abuse that is estimated to have happened over seven days.

Crawford was living with the girl and her mother, Danielle Hale, at the time of the incident and arrest. Charges are still pending against Hale. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 04/09/2019-PHOTO COURTESY OF WLAF’S LINDSEY HUTSON)