Father locked up; baby girl in critical condition

A father was arrested Monday on two serious felonies, while his 4-week-old daughter remains in critical condition in the hospital.

Richard Garrett Dotherow was charged with one count of first degree cruelty to children and one count of aggravated battery. Bond was denied. Dotherow had no local jail history prior to Monday's arrest. 

The incident occurred on Sunday, Nov. 7 in the 1200 block of Perry Drive, located off of South Elbert Street and a few blocks south of Underwood Road and Freedom Church.

"Aggravated battery" is a step up from "aggravated assault" and a more severe charge. Aggravated battery charges are brought forth when a victim "permanently loses something," whether a functional ability or body part. According to the Official Code of Georgia, aggravated battery is defined as: 

...When he or she maliciously causes bodily harm to another by depriving him or her of a member of his or her body, by rendering a member of his or her body useless, or by seriously disfiguring his or her body or a member thereof.

An aggravated battery conviction has a minimum prison sentence of one year, while a first degree cruelty to children conviction carries a minimum prison sentence of five years.