An Oil City woman has been charged with aggravated assault after she allegedly struck her four-year-old child multiple times with a belt.
A criminal complaint filed through district judge Andrew Fish’s office said the child’s grandmother noticed marks on the child’s back when picking her up on June 20.
The child’s mother, Kaylee Grove, 20, was then confronted by the grandmother and Grove told her she hit the child with a belt because she was not listening, the complaint said.
The child was taken to UPMC Northwest later that day for evaluation, the complaint said, and Grove admitted to hospital personnel that she struck the child with a belt once.
After further examination, it was determined the child was struck in the back and buttocks several times with enough force to cause bruising, according to the complaint.
On July 28, Oil City police Lt. Steve Hamilton presented photographs and medical records to Dr. May Carrasco, a well-known expert on child abuse, and she confirmed the injuries would have caused the child extreme pain, the complaint said.
Grove was taken into custody Tuesday by Oil City police and arraigned before Fish on one felony count of aggravated assault and misdemeanor counts of simple assault and endangering the welfare of children.
Grove was released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
A preliminary hearing has been tentatively scheduled for Aug. 17 in Venango County Central Court.
