Man Charged With Beating Girl, 5, Shoving Her In Dryer

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- A Manchester man has been charged with choking and beating a 5-year-old girl and placing her in a clothes dryer, which he spun by hand, police said.

Police said the girl's mother left her daughter in the care of her boyfriend, Eric Zawadzki, 30, on Monday afternoon and returned a few hours later. The girl reported that Zawadzki badly beat her, choked her and put her in a basement clothes dryer while her mother was gone, police said.

"The child was placed in a clothes dryer and further assaulted by utilizing the dryer," said Sgt. James Soucy.

Police said Zawadzki secured the dryer door, refusing to let the girl out.

"The child was found with numerous bruising and swelling about the face, the head, both ears, the neck -- indicating that some type of strangulation or squeezing had occurred -- as well as bruising, cuts and abrasions throughout her entire body," Soucy said.

Investigators said that when the girl's mother returned from applying for a job, she saw that the girl had a swollen lip, and Zawadzki claimed she was reaching for a shampoo bottle in the shower and had fallen. Zawadzki also claimed the girl had been fresh with him and he had to slap her, police said.

Zawadzki was charged with second-degree assault. Bail was set at $100,000, and another court hearing was scheduled for the beginning of next month.