26-year-old Joshua Viane reaches plea deal in case involving severe child abuse

MILWAUKEE -- 26-year-old Joshua Viane of Milwaukee, accused in a case involving severe child abuse, has reached a plea deal in the case against him.

Joshua Viane

Viane pleaded guilty to three felony charges on Thursday, November 19th: child abuse - recklessly causing great bodily harm, and two counts of child abuse - reckless probability of great harm.

Viane was then remanded into custody pending his sentencing hearing, which has been scheduled for January 22nd.

A "no contact" order was modified so that Viane can have video visits with his children.

The details in the criminal complaint are quite disturbing.

On June 30th, the complaint indicates Viane and his wife went to Summerfest, where Viane drank a few beers.

At his Milwaukee home the next morning, he got up with a hangover, and changed his 21-day-old daughter's diaper, "when he had an urge." He told investigators "he wanted to squeeze the baby tightly," and he did. The complaint says he "squeezed the child with so much force that her face turned red and her eyes became bloodshot."

Medical exams revealed several rib fractures.

The complaint goes on to say that Viane then "pushed his index finger all the way down the child's throat." The complaint says Viane had such urges "for the past for years, but the urges intensified within the past two years."