Charleroi woman charged with assaulting child
A Charleroi woman was arrested Thursday by Charleroi Regional police for allegedly assaulting her 5-year-old grandson and tying him to a bedpost with plastic zip ties.
Carmen Alexander, 45, of 253 Davidson Drive, is identified by police as the caretaker of the boy.
Charleroi police and Washington County Children and Youth Services launched the investigation into the assault Wednesday, according to court documents filed with Distrct Judge Larry Hopkins. The child reportedly had bruises, scratches, burns, scars and other trauma on his entire body, including on a lump on his forehead.
The boy told police and CYS personnel his grandmother had hit him in the hand with a hammer a punishment. She also reportedly tied him to a bedpost with plastic ties. The boy reportedly had bite marks on his hands from attempting to free himself. He demonstrated to police how he was bound with the ties. When he went to get the hammer, Alexander intervened before he could retrieve it.
Ties were found in the boy’s bedroom. A broken tie was found on the post of his bed. The boy was taken to Monongahela Valley Hospital, where his injuries were documented. Additional injuries to the boy were discovered upon further examination at the hospital.
Alexander told police she did use the ties once to show the boy how police would handcuff people. She also claimed her son’s former girlfriend did hit the boy with a metal spoon on his head and face as well as his body on several occasions.
Alexander was arraigned before Hopkins on charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment, unlawful restraint and endangering the welfare of children. She was placed in the Washington County jail on $100,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 31 before Hopkins.