Infant dies in alleged Nowata County beating of pregnant woman, boyfriend arrested

Bartlesville police are investigating the death of an infant, whose remains were found in downtown Sunday afternoon.

The Washington County district attorney says the infant's death is connected to an ongoing domestic abuse case in Nowata County involving 29-year-old Matthew Cartwright. 

It began back on July 15 when a deputy came upon a parked vehicle on the side of a road. According to an affidavit, Cartwright was pacing frantically outside the vehicle and told the deputy his girlfriend, who was in the vehicle, had cheated on him, was pregnant with the other man's baby and had been smoking meth.

The deputy made arrangements for the woman to get a health checkup.

The day after the checkup, Cartwright's girlfriend filed a protective order against him, which deputies say made Cartwright angry.

The next day deputies were called to the emergency room at a Bartlesville hospital, where the woman had been admitted.

The girlfriend says Cartwright took her to a residence about two miles north of Nowata and began hitting her in the face, and punching and kicking her in the stomach.

Investigators say the beating resulted in the girlfriend suffering a miscarriage at 20 weeks.

Cartwright was arrested for domestic assault and battery resulting in great bodily harm and later charged with domestic assault against a pregnant woman.

The DA's office says additional charges will depend on the final reports from police and the infant's autopsy, which is being completed by the state medical examiner.