Parents of injured 2-year-old arrested for child endangerment
The parents of a 2-year-old girl who police say was brutally attacked by a babysitter were arrested and charged with felony child endangerment on Monday.
Southwest Regional Police Chief John Hartman said officers arrested Matthew James Price, 21, and Tracy Elizabeth Price, 23, of Belle Vernon prior to a Fayette County Children and Youth Services custody hearing Monday morning.
The charges against the Prices came days after police arrested Joshua Nathaniel Tannous, 19, and charged him with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
Police allege that the Prices were aware that their children were being injured while under Tannous’ supervision and that despite excruciating pain, the child was not taken to a hospital for at least 24 hours for treatment after the most recent episode.
“We think they had known for a while that the children were not being properly cared for,” said Hartman. “There was a consistent pattern of mistreatment and neglect.”
The criminal complaint states that Tracy and Matthew Price became aware that Tannous may not have been feeding the children or changing their diapers and that friends of theirs had even pointed out bruising on the 2-year-old. The couple refused to act out of fear of having the children removed from the home, police said.
Tracy Price also told police that on Feb. 5, Matthew Price posted photos of the injured child on his Facebook account, and she asked him to take the photos down because she was afraid the children would be taken away, police said.
“Matthew James Price stated that he did not want any of this information to be reported to police because he actively uses marijuana, has used marijuana in the presence of said children and ‘should have stopped this the first time (Tannous) hurt the kids,'” according to the police report.
Tannous, who allegedly babysat the Prices’ 2-year-old and 6-month-old children from the time he began living with the family around Jan. 4, is accused of shaking and slamming the older of the two children and causing severe injuries. During that time, the 6-month-old also reportedly suffered a burn while under Tannous’ care, which he claims happened when the child accidently touched a heater.
According to the criminal complaint, the 2-year-old was treated for two broken collarbones and a broken scapula, in addition to bruises and lacerations. Dr. Jennifer Wolford of the Child Advocacy Center in Children’s Hospital stated in a report reviewed by police that the 2-year-old was “violently injured as a result of abusive trauma.”
Hartman told reporters, “CYS was in the loop from the beginning, and they knew we were going to interview the parents. We wanted to make sure we had all the t’s crossed and the i’s dotted, so we continued the investigation over the weekend.”
He said the investigation continues and more charges may be added in the future.
The children are in the custody of their grandparents now, Hartman said.
Magisterial Judge Richard Kasunic Jr. set bail at $25,000 straight cash for each of the Prices and ordered them not to have contact with their children. A preliminary hearing was set for Feb. 21 at 10:45 a.m.