Man Accused Of Assaulting 16-Month-Old Girl, Breaking Child's Ribs
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MCKEESPORT (KDKA) -- A man is facing charges for allegedly striking a 16-month-old girl in McKeesport.
According to a criminal complaint, the child's mother said she had left her daughter alone with 23-year-old Jacob Coles when she went out to run errands Friday. When she returned, Coles said the child had vomited. The child's mother said her daughter seemed lethargic and did not eat very well.
The child's mother went out to run more errands, again leaving her alone with Coles. When she came back, she said her daughter was not responsive and her eyes were rolling back in her head. She then decided to take the girl to the hospital around 5 p.m.
The girl was taken to McKeesport Hospital then transferred to Children's Hospital by medical helicopter.
At Children's Hospital, doctors determined the child had four broken ribs and a lacerated liver and spleen. The staff said the injuries were caused by inflicted trauma.
Coles initially told police he wasn't sure how the child got injured, then later said when the child's mother was out, he tried to step over a baby gate while he was carrying the child and fell down a flight of stairs.
The criminal complaint says Coles did not appear to have any injuries consistent with a fall down the stairs. Detectives went to the apartment where the fall allegedly occurred and didn't see any marks on the stairs indicating that someone had fallen. They also did not see a baby gate.
McKeesport Police and the Allegheny County Police investigated the incident and determined Coles had struck the child, causing the injuries.
Coles was arrested Saturday and sent to the Allegheny County Jail to await arraignment. He is facing charges of aggravated assault of a child, endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person.
