On Friday, Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged Thomas Randle Babler, 26, with rape of a child in the first degree and assault of a child in the second degree. Babler was arraigned and is being held in lieu of $1,000,000 bail.

On Jan. 20, 2015, Babler was babysitting his girlfriend’s daughter while the mother was at school. Babler sent the mother a message that the victim had fallen off the couch and hit her head. When the mother returned home, she told Babler she was taking the child to the hospital. He objected. The baby began to cry and Babler said, “Don’t make me throw you again.”

Hospital staff determined the victim suffered a complex skull fracture, internal cranial bleeding, elevated liver enzymes and multiple bruises. Further examination revealed the victim had been sexually assaulted.

When he initially spoke with detectives, Babler said the victim fell off the couch and hit her head. Later, he said he wanted to tell them what really happened. Babler told detectives that he threw the victim off his bed during his sleep and she hit the water heater. He said the victim “stiffened up really bad.”

“This is an ongoing investigation, but it’s apparent that the defendant brutally assaulted a 1-year-old girl,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “His story that she was injured by falling off the couch was completely preposterous.”

Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.