
CLEARFIELD – An Osceola Mills man will spend up to 40 years in state prison for assaulting his three-week old daughter.
In March of last year Aaron Mills, 33, and the girl’s mother, Stephanie McGuire, were both charged by state police after the girl was taken to a doctor for a severe diaper rash.
It was discovered that both of the girl’s legs were broken. She had abrasions on her face, a tear inside her mouth between her gums and nose along with a cracked rib and tears in her rectum, according to information at the preliminary hearing.
On Monday morning, Mills pleaded guilty to eight counts of aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, criminal conspiracy/endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was sentenced by Judge Paul E. Cherry to 15 to 40 years in state prison. Mills will have to register his address with law enforcement under Megan’s Law.
Mills had been scheduled to go to trial in December, but he signed a plea in November after McGuire signed a plea agreement that was based on her cooperating with the prosecution of Mills and testifying at his trial.
She is reportedly pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of children, criminal conspiracy, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, and possession of drug paraphernalia. She is scheduled to be sentenced in April.
She will serve no less than 10 years of probation or parole in addition to any jail time, District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr. said previously.
According to testimony at the hearing, when police executed a search warrant on the couple’s home and vehicle, they found a bag with blankets, several baby items and men’s clothing with blood stains.
When he spoke with police, Mills at first denied the baby had anything other than a diaper rash. Later he reportedly stated he might have used her feet to raise her up as he was changing her. This lifted the baby almost completely off the changing mat and may have injured the child, he claimed.