A Harwinton man has been arrested and accused of abusing his 5-month-old baby daughter, according to state police.

Matthew Cirish, 40, was arrested and charged with risk of injury to a child and first-degree assault.

The investigation began on March 20, a day after the parents brought the baby to get medical care, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

While the baby was being evaluated, doctors noticed she had bruises, scratches and a ruptured blood vessel in her right eye.

The parents claimed they took the baby to get evaluated due to "gastrointestinal issues."

Medical records obtained by police on May 16 showed the baby suffered several injuries, including:

According to a forensic interview conducted by authorities, the baby’s 5-year-old brother said he had previously witnessed his parents fighting in the kitchen, with his father punching and kicking his mother. When asked what made his father stop, the child said, "He just freezes."

Medical staff in the Division of Child Abuse Pediatrics said that the follow-up evaluation revealed the baby suffered two additional rib fractures, explaining that they were likely present during the initial scan but may not have been visible due to the "acute nature of the injuries", according to the affidavit.

Doctors said that the baby’s injuries indicated multiple incidents of trauma. They also said the severity of her injuries and neglect could have been fatal if she had remained in Cirish’s care

Cirish admitted to squeezing the baby with significant force but claimed he did so only to "alleviate the baby's constipation."

According to the affidavit, the Department of Children and Families removed the baby and her brother from the parents' custody, but no further information was released on their status.

Cirish was held on a $500,000 bond but has since been released from custody, according to new court docket information.

Full arrest warrant available bellow: