Police charge dad killed baby, injured wife with crossbow
A Broome County man is facing murder charges after he shot a crossbow, killing his 3-week-old daughter and injuring his wife, authorities said.
Patrick D. Proefriedt, 26, of Nineveh, got into an argument with his wife Monday morning and fired the crossbow at her as she held their baby girl, according to the Broome County Sheriff’s Office.
The broadhead crossbow bolt hit the infant in the upper torso and exited near the armpit, then struck Proefriedt’s wife in the chest, deputies said in a news release.
Proefriedt tried to remove the bolt and attempted to stop his wife from calling 911, deputies said. He then left in a red 2016 Dodge Ram pickup truck.
Emergency crews were called to the home on state Route 41, near Cass Road, at 5:14 a.m.
When they arrived, deputies found the crossbow, secured the scene and tried to save the baby’s life before bringing her out to paramedics, they said.
The baby, Eleanor M. Carey, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The baby’s mother was transported to UHS Wilson Medical Center outside of Binghamton, where she was being treated for her injuries, deputies said.
Broome and Chenango county sheriff’s deputies, and state police, meanwhile, formed a perimeter around the area and used aerial drones to search for Proefriedt. Police found him in the woods less than a mile from the residence after his truck got stuck in the mud, deputies said.
Proefriedt was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder and first-degree criminal contempt, all felonies. The criminal contempt charge accuses Proefriedt of violating an order of protection.
“Proefriedt had a history of domestic incidents with the victim and an active stay away order of protection in place,” Broome County sheriff’s deputies said in the news release.
Proefriedt was sent to the Broome County jail, where he remained Monday night.
“This is one of the most heartbreaking and senseless crimes committed in this community in recent memory,” Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar said in the news release. “Our thoughts are with the family of this innocent 3-weekold girl, Eleanor Carey. I commend the quick and decisive action of our Law Enforcement division in responding to this tragedy and ensuring Mr. Proefriedt did not escape justice. Thank you to the New York State Police and the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office for assisting with this investigation and arrest.”
Nineveh is a hamlet with about 50 homes on the banks of the Susquehanna River in Broome County, according to Wikipedia. It is part of the town of Colesville in the Binghamton area, about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Syracuse.