Desert Hot Springs police visit 7-year-old recovering from attack
The Desert Hot Springs Police Department paid a special visit to a seven-year-old boy who is continuing his recovery from a random attack.
On July 18, 2020, Gavin Ludwick, 7, suffered major injuries after being attacked while walking back home in Desert Hot Springs.
Little Gavin had to be airlifted to Loma Linda University Children's Hospital due to the injuries he suffered to his head. Doctors had to replace part of his skull with a metal plate.
Gavin also had to undergo several surgeries including plastic surgery. He has been back home for several months and continues his inspirational recovery.
"He’s a little miracle.[Doctors] told me at the beginning they wouldn’t give me any kind of prediction on how he was going to do, but they said that children do a lot better than adults and just to keep that hope. After he started getting better, he just zoomed and got better so fast that it blew everybody away including the doctors," Gavin's mother, Wendy Ludwick said.
Today, Desert Hot Springs police detectives stopped by to visit Gavin and his family and wish him a happy Thanksgiving.
Gavin even got to use the police loudspeaker!
The man arrested for the attack on Gavin, Daniel Poulsen, 32, was last in court on Oct. 30. According to police, Poulsen lived in the same neighborhood as Gavin but did not appear to know each other.
"Everything is indicating this is an absolutely random attack," said Desert Hot Springs Deputy Chief Steven Shaw.
In July, the criminal proceedings were suspended, and the judge appointed a doctor to evaluate Poulsen and determine whether he is competent. Two behavioral health specialists were appointed by the court to evaluate the defendant's mental competency
"Frustrating, it’s frustrating that he’s gotten away with so much already and that he was out and had the ability to do what he did to Gavin," said Wendy Ludwick, Gavin's mother.
Poulsen faces one count of attempted murder and one count of child endangerment, causing great bodily injury. There is also a sentencing enhancement on both counts that he personally inflicted great bodily injury, which caused the victim to become comatose.
Criminal proceedings remained on hold Poulsen's last court appearance as the Riverside County District Attorney separately requested a trial where a jury could decide whether Poulsen is mentally competent.
The case is scheduled to be revisited on December 2.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.
A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help the family with medical expenses:
