Mother Facing Additional Charges After 11-Month-Old Son Injured
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The father of an 11-month-old child found badly beaten earlier this month in Wilkinsburg has turned himself into police just hours after the boy's mother appeared in court for a hearing.
Dalishia Salter walked out of district court next to her attorney, Blaine Jones, Thursday morning.
KDKA's Harold Hayes Reports:
The 22-year-old was scheduled for a preliminary hearing today, which was postponed.
However, she was slapped with five new charges ranging from aggravated assault to terroristic threats and child endangerment.
"We maintain that nothing has ever been done at the hands of Delishia, any type of wrongdoing to Davier," said Jones. "She loves her son, never been in any type of trouble with her son. She has no adult convictions, nothing like that. I mean, this is an upstanding young woman."
All of the charges stem back to an incident on Sept. 13 at a home on Traymore Avenue in Wilkinsburg.
According to police, officers were called to the house for reports of a domestic dispute and possible child abuse. When they arrived, they discovered an 11-month-old lying on the bed, bruised and bloody.
"At this point, we're just informed the child is stable and is recovering from his injuries," Wilkinsburg Police Sgt. John Snyder said.
Police said the child not only had fresh wounds, but bruises in various stages of healing.
Medical staff at Children's Hospital found a tear inside the child's mouth, which was caused by an object being shoved in with "great force."
Police said Salter is responsible for hurting her son. However, she claims she was a victim herself that night.
KDKA's Sarah Arbogast Reports:
She said her ex-boyfriend and the child's father, David Bryant Jr., is to blame.
"Her ex broke into her home and beat her up. She is a victim of domestic violence and I'm not just saying that, charges were filed against that other young man. Dalishia was doing everything in her power that evening to not only protect herself, but to protect her son," Jones said.
But cell phone video, allegedly shot by Bryant and posted online, indicates he arrived at the home to find the baby on the porch. The child already had two black eyes.
Bryant is facing charges of endangering the welfare of children, simple assault, theft by unlawful taking and criminal mischief.
He turned himself into sheriff's deputies at the Allegheny County Courthouse late Thursday afternoon.
A new preliminary hearing for Salter has been scheduled for next month. That gives prosecutors time to review cell phone video they received.
They also want to review recent text messages sent by Bryant to Salter.
"She's completely heartbroken about everything that's happened. It's a very emotionally charged case. I mean, that's her child and she loves him dearly," Jones said.
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