MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KMPH) -
KMPH News Anchor Nicole Garcia and photographer, Matt Romero, were attacked by a man accused of child endangerment while covering a story at Bass Lake Monday.
Now 33-year-old Marc McMurrian is under arrest. He faces child endangerment and misdemeanor battery charges for the attack.
The first time the crew approached the man, they did not know he was involved with the incident, and he denied being involved.
Later, as the crew was shooting video in the parking lot, the man began yelling and using profanity, then approached the camera.
Madera County Sheriff's deputies say it all began early Monday afternoon, when he left his 8 ½ month old boy alone in a van as he carried supplies to a picnic area.
While he was gone, deputies say the baby crawled out a broken window and landed head first on the ground.
A Good Samaritan found him and called 911.
He was flown to the hospital, where our crew expected his parents would be.
Instead, the father was still at Bass Lake, just hours after the fall.
Investigators identified McMurrian of North Fork as the person to blame.
After the confrontation with KMPH, McMurrian left the picnic area with his family, without hurting our news crew or anyone else.
But McMurrian does have a history of hurting children.
Jail records show he was arrested on three counts of child abuse last year and spent more than two months in jail before he was released.
They say the baby boy is expected to be all right.
KMPH contacted CPS about why McMurrian was still allowed to care for his son after being arrested on felony child abuse charges.
A deputy manager said he couldn't speak specifically about the case, but did say that a person's criminal history doesn't always mean they automatically lose the opportunity to be reunited with their child.
McMurrian is at the Madera County Jail. His bail is set at $10,000.
