Call from school leads to arrest of Leechburg woman on child-abuse charges
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A Leechburg woman faces three felony charges after elementary school officials reported that a 5-year-old had suffered injuries to his face, back and arms.
Amanda L. Charles, 37, of Beale Avenue, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a child, which are felonies. She also faces reckless endangerment and simple assault charges, according to a criminal complaint.
Charles is being detained in the Armstrong County Jail after failing to post a $50,000 cash bond, court records show. She faces a preliminary hearing before District Judge James Andring on Feb. 9.
An officer was dispatched to David Leech Elementary School on Jan. 13 for a report of a 5-year-old who had face, back and arm injuries, the complaint said.
School officials said they were “reluctant to send the child home” so the officer filed a report through the state’s ChildLineabuse notification system and contacted Armstrong County’s Children, Youth & Family Services agency to arrange a forensics interview with the child, according to the complaint.
The child told a counselor at Kay’s Cottage in Kittanning that the injuries were caused by Charles, the complaint said. The child was also examined at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where doctors said the boy’s injuries were “consistent with abuse,” the complaint said.
When police interviewed Charles on Jan. 18, she said the boy’s injuries were the result of the child “throwing fits. He throws himself on the floor,” according to her arrest papers.
The complaint said Charles also objected to the child being interviewed by authorities, the complaint said.