The Pennsylvania State Police at Schuylkill Haven have charged a man for violently assaulting a child at a home in Port Carbon last year.
According to Investigating Officer Trooper Tyler Brackman, in September 2020, an 11 month old boy was was transported by Medevac to the Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest after reportedly falling off a bed at a home in the 400 block of 2nd Street in Port Carbon
The victim arrived at the hospital in the early morning hours of September 26th, 2020 with serious injuries, that included several brain bleeds, bruising, retinal hemorrhaging, and abrasions.
The victim was reported to be at home with his mother’s boyfriend, Patrick Tyler Curran, 26 of Pottsville, prior to being transported and treated for these injuries.
Child Protective Medicine Physicians at Lehigh Valley Hospital evaluated the victim following his arrival and treated for life-threatening injuries. It was physicians’ professional opinion that the injuries sustained by the victim could not have been caused by a short fall from a bed.
The Physicians said the infant had to have been subjected to violent, adult force / shaking to have sustained the severe brain injury that was present and it was also their opinion that this will cause long-term physical, cognitive, developmental, and behavioral health consequences.
As a result, Trooper Brackman of the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Investigation Unit charged Curra with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and harassment.
On Tuesday, Curran was taken into custody on an arrest warrant and arraigned before Magisterial District Judge David Plachko who set bail at $50,000 (10%). Curran was unable to post bail and locked up in Schuylkill County Prison.