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Bradford man arrested for child abuse
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| By: Mark J. Crawford, Editor |
May 14, 2009 |
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Ryan Wesson
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A Bradford County man is in jail after he was arrested May 5 and accused of a shocking incident of child abuse.
Twenty-eight-year-old Ryan Stanton Wesson is being held on $200,000 bond and remains on suicide watch in the Bradford County Jail, according to Capt. Brad Smith, public information officer for the sheriff's office.
Wesson was arrested several days after the incident when his version of what happened did not match medical evidence regarding the injuries of the hospitalized victim-an 8-month-old baby boy.
When confronted with the evidence, Smith said Wesson admitted to swinging the infant around by his leg and throwing him against the couch several times.
The victim is not his biological child, but the son of his live-in girlfriend, Smith said.
Wesson, who was home alone with the baby on May 1, told authorities that he had slipped and fallen while holding the child. He said the baby spit up and began acting "dizzy" following the fall, so he called Bradford EMS, which transported the child to the hospital.
When medical personnel evaluated the child and informed the sheriff's office the injuries were not consistent with Wesson's account, BCSO Detective Kevin Mueller arrested him for aggravated child abuse. Further questioning resulted in the defendant's admission of swinging the child.
Injuries to the infant are described as severe.
"The victim suffered head injuries which may lead to permanent impairment and other injuries that were in various stages of healing," said Smith.
On Monday, Smith reported no improvement in the child's condition.
The case occurred on the heels of Child Abuse Awareness Month.
"Child abuse cases are the most disturbing calls for any law enforcement officer to handle. No matter what the outcome is with regards to the defendant in the justice system, there is always the sadness that comes from knowing an innocent child has been permanently affected in such a negative way," said Sheriff Gordon Smith.
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©Bradford County Telegraph 2010
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