Westmoreland County woman charged after suspected abuse of 3-month-old child

A Westmoreland County woman has been charged after allegedly abusing a 3-month-old child earlier this year. 

According to the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office, 24-year-old Alexzandrea Derry is now being charged with aggravated assault of a victim under six years old and endangering the welfare of children. 

In January, New Kensington police were alerted to allegations of suspected child abuse via a ChildLine report. 

Both the police and case workers from the Children's Bureau spoke with Derry at her home, and she told them she was babysitting the child for two nights. 

According to Derry, early one morning, she was attempting to put the child to bed, slipped on a box spring, and the child fell and hit the box spring and floor. She claimed that she believed the child had not been injured until she noticed a red mark on the child's ribs and head later on. 

She also told investigators that the child was fine during the day until the next morning, when they became "fussy." When she attempted to calm the child, she recalled carrying the child in a swing upstairs, tripping, and falling forward into a cabinet. 

Derry then took the child to the hospital, and doctors relayed to police that they had suffered seven broken ribs and facial bruising. The doctors determined the injuries were consistent with physical abuse. 

As a result of the allegations, Derry was subjected to a drug test and ultimately tested positive for THC and cocaine.