On Monday morning, tragedy struck the small town of Colesville, New York. A 3-week-old infant, Eleanor M. Carey, was fatally injured when her father shot her with a crossbow.
According to the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, Patrick D. Proefriedt, 26, had become involved in a heated dispute with his wife while she held their daughter. He then fired his crossbow, which hit the baby in the torso and discharged near her armpit before ricocheting and striking his wife in the chest.
Deputies and paramedics arrived promptly on the scene but could not revive the infant, who was declared dead. The mother was taken to a nearby medical facility, although no update has been given about her condition.
Proefriedt fled the scene in a red 2016 Dodge Ram. He was quickly found at a site less than a mile from his home. However, his vehicle was stuck in the mud. Proefriedt was then arrested and charged with several felonious charges, including second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder
It has been revealed that Proefriedt had a documented history of physical violence regarding the victim and an active Stay Away Order of Protection in place. Yet, such facts have done little to ease the community’s collective grief. Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar offered his condolences for the departed and expressed his dismay in light of the heinous nature of the crime.
The death of Eleanor M. Carey is a sobering reminder of the prevalence of domestic violence and the vulnerability of life. Our thoughts are with the family in this tragic moment as our community stands together in grief.