Kiski Township man arrested after 11-month-old found unresponsive
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Kiski Township Police Department has arrested a man after an 11-month-old was found unresponsive inside his home earlier this year.
Saxonburg resident, Jacob Rupert, 23, has been charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child, among other offenses. He is accused of beating his ex-girlfriend's infant at her Appollo home while babysitting the child.
Police and EMS personnel responded to a residence along Aspen Drive in April and found the child had sustained serious injuries. The child was then flown to UPMC Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh for further evaluation.
The child suffered broken vertebrae in her neck, abrasions to her face, as well as retinal hemorrhaging, and an occipital fracture, the police said.
The physician indicated that the injuries were a result of trauma and that the child was a victim of physical abuse.
During the investigation, police questioned the family members of the baby and babysitters. One of them told police that they confronted Rupert after seeing bruising on the child's face last year. He allegedly said the child "fell into a dog crate" and that the child was "fussy" whenever he watched her.
He also allegedly told the infant's mother that her daughter fell into her crib.
KDKA-TV asked Kiski Police Sgt. Thomas Dessell why Rupert would want to hurt the baby.
"I'm not going to speculate on that, there could be any reason," he said. "But that is something left to be determined."
Police also gave an update on the child's condition.
"All reports indicate she is doing well," Dessell said. "She is progressing. I will get a further update on her condition later this week."
One of Rupert's family members told KDKA-TV that he is innocent.
Rupert was given a $50,000 bond with his preliminary hearing scheduled on July 6.
