East Rochester man indicted in horrific infant abuse case

Staff reports 8:02 a.m.


East Rochester man indicted in horrific infant abuse case

Matthew Bowdon (Police mugshot)

DOVER - An East Rochester man has been indicted in what could well be the most heinous case of alleged child abuse in New Hampshire history.

Matthew Bowdon, 30, of 2 Abbott St., stands formally charged with four counts of first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault in a pattern alleged to have begun on Jan. 1, 2019 - when the infant was less than three weeks old - and continued into September.

Among the injuries the child suffered were a fractured radius, fibula, ulna and tibia as well as bruising and a black eye.

The fibula and tibia are bones in the leg, while the ulna and radius are in the arm.

Each charge carries a maximum 30-year prison sentence.

Bowdon is free on PR bail while awaiting trial.

The grand jury indictments were handed down on Dec 19 and released on Thursday.

An indictment is not an indication of guilt, rather that enough evidence has been gathered to warrant a trial.