A 23-year-old New Bedford man charged with beating a 9-month-old child who later died is being held without bail.

Ethen Harrison was arraigned today in New Bedford District court on charges of reckless endangerment of a child, assault and battery on a child causing substantial bodily injury, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

In a statement of facts, prosecutors described the monstrous abuse the baby suffered in the hours before she died beginning when Harrison allegedly dropped the “fussy” baby to the floor.

“The defendant then admitted to forcefully picking the baby up, at which time the baby’s head snapped forward,” prosecutors wrote. “He then stated that he threw the baby on to the bed, causing her to bounce up and off the bed, dropping approximately four feet to the floor, again striking her head. The defendant admitted to shaking the baby and slapping the baby three times on or about the mouth and two times on the side of the baby’s face. ... There were several bruises noted on the baby’s body.”