MORGANTOWN — A Morgantown man was arrested and charged after he allegedly beat and choked his girlfriend’s child for being too loud.
Andrew P. Lemasters, 23, is charged with child abuse resulting in injury. He is being held in North Central Regional Jail without bond.
The crime is a felony and, if convicted, Lemasters faces one to five years in prison and a $100-$1,000 fine or, in the court’s discretion, not more than a year in jail.
According to a criminal complaint:
Thursday, a woman identified only by her initials, told deputies at the Monongalia County Sheriff’s office her boyfriend, Lemasters, who lives with her and her child, was physically abusive to the 2-year-old. She said Lemasters struck the child for making too much noise and “essentially being [a] boisterous child.” He also wrapped a dish towel around the child’s throat and held it until his face turned pink. He then shoved the kid down on his face, causing bruising on his forehead. A deputy saw bruising on the child’s head, pink marks on his neck and an abrasion on his cheek, which are consistent with the statement.
