A Bradford man is in McKean County Jail for allegedly causing near fatal injuries to an 18-month old child.
Tyler L. Prescott, 28, of 21 Pearl St., is charged with aggravated assault with extreme indifference, aggravated assault with serious injury, first-degree felonies; aggravated assault of a victim less than 6 and endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree felonies; and recklessly endangering another person, a second-degree misdemeanor.
According to the criminal complaint, the charges are the result of an investigation into injuries suffered by an 18-month-old child. The injuries included a basal skull fracture, fractured right ulna and bruising around the head and neck of the child. The injuries were deemed near fatal by medical staff at Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y., the complaint stated.
Prescott was watching the child while the mother was at work on March 3. When the mother returned from work around 5 p.m., Prescott said the child was napping. The mother said it was unusual for the child to be sleeping late in the day, but didn’t check on her until about 7 p.m. At that time, she found the child’s head to be swollen, both eyes swollen shut and several bruises around her head and neck, the complaint stated.
The mother attempted to find someone to watch her other children so she could take the toddler to the hospital, but Prescott said he would leave her children by themselves if she was gone too long, so she waited until the next day to seek treatment, the complaint stated.
Later that night, the mother was still insisting the child needed medical treatment, but Prescott took all the phones in the house and would not let anyone call for help. He refused to let the woman leave the room she was in as well, the complaint indicated.
The next day, Prescott and the mother took the child to Bradford Regional Medical Center. A Bradford City Police officer was called to the hospital and spoke to the mother and Prescott. He claimed the child had fallen off the couch a few days before and grew progressively worse through the week, the complaint alleged.
However, the medical staff at Children’s Hospital said it was impossible for the injuries to have been caused in such a manner, according to the complaint.
Prescott was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Bill Todd and remanded to jail in lieu of $100,000 straight bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 7 before District Judge Dom Cercone.
