Man Arrested in Death of 2-Month-Old Daughter Accused of Stuffing Baby Wipe Down Her Throat

A Florida man who told police he thought his 18-month-old daughter had stuffed a baby wipe into his colicky infant daughter's mouth, causing her 2021 choking death, has now been charged with manslaughter, The Messenger confirms.

Joseph Napier, 30, was arrested by the Indian River County Sheriff's Office on Friday. His arrest was detailed Monday during a press conference.

Napier called 911 on May 28, 2021, and told dispatchers his baby girl was unresponsive. The 911 operator provided Napier with CPR instructions, but by the time first responders arrived at his Vero Beach home, the baby had turned blue.

"CPR was quickly taken over by the deputy who rushed the infant to the ambulance," reads a statement from the sheriff's office. "Despite the life-saving efforts of everyone involved, the infant did not survive."

Early on in the investigation, Napier told deputies that as the infant choked, he looked in her mouth, and could only see a small white object in her throat.

Napier had told cops he left the baby unattended on a couch with his toddler daughter. He said they were alone for approximately 10 minutes.

Investigators allege Napier told them he returned to find the infant in distress and choking, but that he waited 5 minutes before calling 911. "Detectives later determined that Mr. Napier spent approximately 30 minutes on his cell phone making his timeline inaccurate," reads the statement.

Medical examiners removed the baby wipe from the baby girl's throat. It had been stuffed so deep inside the child's throat that physicians determined the only person physically capable of doing it was Napier.

Relatives told authorities the baby girl cried often because of her colic.

Napier is currently being held at the Indian River County Jail on a $750,000 bond.

It was unclear Tuesday if he had entered a plea to the charge or had an attorney who could address the allegations.