Sedalia man accused of killing baby indicted by grand jury, posts bond

COLE CAMP, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Sedalia man who is accused of killing his own child in 2022 has posted a $50,000 bond, according to Casenet and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office online records.

Danial Fitzgerald, 24, is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. A grand jury indictment was filed Friday. He was arrested Feb. 21 and posted bond on Wednesday. A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, March 20.

A probable cause statement says that a 9-month-old baby was found dead following a “non-injury vehicle crash” on Feb. 7, 2022. The child’s 16-year-old mother and Fitzgerald were at the scene.

There were injuries noticed by a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper on the baby’s head, face, neck, genitalia and extremities at the time of her death.

“I mean this is the worst day ever. I totaled my brand new car, I went to jail, and her (in reference to the baby),” Fitzgerald said, according to the probable cause statement.

The trooper claimed Fitzgerald was more concerned with calling his car insurance company than the baby not breathing. Fitzgerald denied that and claimed once someone else was “working on” the baby, he was on the phone with the insurance company while waiting for EMS.

The mother allegedly told the trooper that the baby was alone with Fitzgerald the morning of the child’s death and that he also watched her the day before. During another interview, the mother said the baby looked like she was “dying,” according to the probable cause statement.

During another interview with the mother, she claimed the baby had been defecating “straight blood” on Feb. 5. She also stated in another interview in June that blood was “gushing” from the baby’s mouth on Feb. 6, according to the statement.

The grandmother of the baby stated all of the injuries except a burn mark occurred while in Fitzgerald’s care, according to the probable cause statement.

Fitzgerald allegedly told a trooper at one point that the baby’s condition “seemed fine” the morning of death and that she was staring off into space and he told the mother something was wrong with her, which the trooper claims is a contradiction from earlier interviews.

Fitzgerald allegedly claimed he had nothing to do with the baby and did not help with its care. The statement also claims he asked the mother to change the baby's last name to match his last name.