CLEARFIELD – A Morrisdale man has been accused of assaulting a two-year-old girl.
Ethan Jeremy Sperling, 23, was originally charged by Trooper Adam D. Cummings of the Clearfield-based state police with misdemeanor simple assault and summary harassment.
However, he had a felony charge of aggravated assault (victim less than 6 and defendant 18 or older) added Wednesday at his preliminary hearing.
Sperling waived his case to the Clearfield County Court of Common Pleas for further disposition. His bail is currently set at $50,000 monetary.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the toddler’s mother contacted state police to report the incident at approximately 10:35 p.m. Oct. 21.
She said her now ex-boyfriend, Sperling, sent her text messages, telling her that he’d smacked her daughter’s bottom because she had an accident in the bathtub.
Her daughter had severe bruising and swelling on her bottom and back of her legs, she told state police. Cummings also observed the injuries on the back of the toddler’s legs.