His 5-month-old suffered brain damage in his care. Now he’s been sentenced

A Pierce County man accused of causing damage to his 5-month-old daughter’s brain has been sentenced.

Cole Allen Gooch, 24, pleaded guilty in August to attempted first-degree child assault.

“I intentionally dropped my child on the bed, and the child bounced on the bed and hit the bed post, recklessly causing brain damage,” he wrote in August. “I did not intend on causing brain damage to the child.”

On Friday, Pierce County Superior Court Judge Garold Johnson sentenced Gooch to seven years, nine months in prison, according to jail records.

Gooch’s baby had hemorrhaging in her brain and eyes, a skull fracture and bruises when she was taken to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital on April 19, 2016.

Doctors said the injuries weren’t consistent with falling off a bed, but rather with shaking, according to charging papers.

A social worker called police, and when detectives spoke with Gooch, he said he’d briefly left the girl on the bed and returned to find she’d fallen to the floor.

She stopped breathing, and her grandfather revived her as Gooch called 911.

The girl’s court-appointed special advocate wrote to the judge that doctors will need several years before they can say how the girl’s development will be affected.

She’s made progress, he wrote, but will be physically impaired her whole life. She’s expected to be able to walk at some point, but it will probably be with help, such as a walker.

This story was originally published October 13, 2017 at 5:09 PM with the headline "His 5-month-old suffered brain damage in his care. Now he’s been sentenced."