Father of Ohio child found decomposed in crib held on $1 million bond

By Kim Palmer

CLEVELAND (Reuters) - An Ohio judge ordered a father held on a $1 million bond Thursday after a cable installer discovered the badly decomposed body of a young child in a crib at his apartment and notified authorities, the Medina Police Department said.

Eric Warfel, 34, was arrested Wednesday after the body of 18-month-old Ember Warfel was found in her crib surrounded by bags of trash, apparently to cover up the smell of decomposition, police said. Medina is about 32 miles (52 km) south of Cleveland.

Police believe the girl died around June 18 but the cause of death is unknown. Warfel also has a 7-year-old daughter and may have a son who lives in New York state with the boy's mother.

Another daughter, Erin Delynn Warfel, died aged 5 months at an emergency room in March 2013 in a "manner undetermined," according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's website.

Warfel is charged with abuse of a corpse, a felony, for leaving the child in the crib after her death and not notifying the proper authorities, and may face additional charges, according to Medina Municipal Magistrate Linda Leggett.

Cocaine was found Thursday during a search of a motel room where Warfel was living, according to a police statement.

An autopsy is scheduled to be performed by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's office.

(Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Eric Walsh)