Fayette County woman accused of abusing 1-year-old boy
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State police at Belle Vernon on Friday filed charges against a Fayette County woman for the alleged abuse of a 1-year-old boy.
Paige M. Petrucci, 22, of LaBelle in Luzerne Township, was arrested following a five-month investigation by state police and the Fayette County Children and Youth Services.
The investigation began Jan. 7 after the child’s father took him to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh with bleeding ears. The father told doctors his son had a history of ear infections.
Police said that during an examination, doctors discovered the boy had a healing fracture on his right leg, bruising to his groin, thigh and forehead and other injuries. The father, who is Petrucci’s fiance, told investigators Petrucci is the child’s main caregiver because of his work schedule.
In an interview with Trooper Melinda Churney, Petrucci said the child suffered the injuries during rough play with other children in the house and he was falling frequently because of his ear infections. She denied any wrongdoing, Churney said.
The boy’s father was also interviewed.
A doctor at Children’s told investigators the injuries appeared to be a result of child abuse and are inconsistent with child play that both Petrucci and the father described, according to Churney.
Petrucci refused to take a polygraph test, according to court documents.
Petrucci is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, child endangerment, reckless endangerment and harassment. She was released on $10,000 unsecured bond pending a preliminary hearing May 29 before Brownsville District Judge Mike DeFino Jr.