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Gregory Haendiges (Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office).
A 29-year-old man in Indiana is facing multiple years behind bars for attacking his girlfriend’s 1-year-old son after the toddler accidentally spilled water, telling the child he would treat him like an “animal.”
A jury in Delaware County on Tuesday needed only about 20 minutes to deliberate before finding Gregory E. Haendiges guilty of one count of felony battery on a child less than 14 years of age, authorities announced.
Under Indiana state law, the level six felony is punishable by up to 30 months in an Indiana state correctional facility and a maximum fine of $10,000.
According to a news release from the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office, the incident took place in late November 2021 involving a victim who had autism and was nonverbal.
During the trial, prosecutors presented jurors with evidence showing that Haendiges “rubbed” his girlfriend’s 6-month-old child’s “nose and forehead into the carpet” in the spot where the toddler had “accidentally spilled water.” The attack resulted in the child suffering a “bloody wound” to his forehead, prosecutors said.
“The evidence also indicated that at the time of the crime, Haendiges knew the young child was autistic and non-verbal,” prosecutors wrote in the release. “Nevertheless, Haendiges told the child, ‘[I]f you are going to act like an animal, I’ll treat you like one.”
After the verdict was announced, Judge Andrew J. Ramirez of Circuit Court No. 2 ordered Haendiges to be remanded to the custody of the Delaware County Jail. He is currently scheduled to return to court for his sentencing hearing on April 14.
Following the proceedings, Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Hoffman praised his team for their efforts in convicting Haendiges.
“I am proud of Deputy Prosecutor Lexi Starost, Prosecutor’s Investigator Danielle Woodson and Muncie Police Detective Kristopher Swanson for their hard work and dedication in this case,” he said.
Court records reviewed by Law&Crime show that Haendiges in October 2024, signed an agreement in which he pleaded guilty to one count of felony intimidation. However, the deal was not accepted by Judge Kimberly Dowling.
“The Court, after having considered the evidence as presented, rejects said guilty plea and written plea agreement,” the online docket entry states. “The Defendant’s plea of guilty is hereby withdrawn.”
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