A Berks County man, who previously admitted assaulting his infant son that led to leg fractures, was sentenced on Tuesday afternoon to a probationary term.

Jordan Dean Balthaser, 20, of Womelsdorf, was placed on two years probation by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II on charges of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. In exchange for the plea, the district attorney’s office dropped two counts of aggravated assault and counts of simple assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

The investigation into the incident began on March 19, 2019, when state police at Hamburg were dispatched to a St. Luke’s medical treatment facility in Strausstown for a child abuse incident. The 1-month-old boy was later transferred to the Hershey Medical Center. Troopers were told by medical personnel at the center that the child suffered two fractures to the tibia and two to his femur on his left leg. Troopers also learned that the incident occurred at a residence of the child’s uncle along West Bertsch Street in Lansford sometime earlier.

According to the report, the child was crying and needed his diaper changed. Balthaser told investigators he grabbed the child from a car seat he was in to change the diaper. He said he became “frustrated” by the child crying. He admitted handling the child “harder” than usual.

Later, a relative noticed the child’s left leg was “limp.” That occurred at a Berks County residence. The child was then taken to the Strausstown facility and police were notified.

Balthaser was 19 at the time of the incident. According to a presentence investigation report prepared by the adult probation office, Balthaser suffers from mental health issues and is receiving treatment for it.

Balthaser apologized for what happened and added, “I acted immature.”

He said his son is currently in foster care of his mother and eventually will be put in a family placement program.

In addition to the probation term, Nanovic ordered Balthaser to supply a DNA sample, get a mental health evaluation, attend and successfully complete a parenting class, attend and successfully complete an anger management course, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation.