State police at Schuylkill Haven charged a Pottsville man with assaulting an 11-month-old child in Port Carbon last September, potentially causing long-term injuries.

Police filed the charges Feb. 17 in Magisterial District Judge David Plachko’s office against Patrick Tyler Curran, 27. He was arraigned Tuesday and is in Schuylkill County Prison unable to post 10% of $50,000 bail. He is charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of endangering the welfare of children, all felonies, and one count each of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, both misdemeanors, and a summary charge of harassment.

A preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m. March 2.

Police were called Sept. 26 to the 400 block of Second Street to help Schuylkill EMS with an incident where an 11-month-old boy fell off a bed. However, they were later told assistance was not needed. The child was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Allentown, and police were told by an employee the injuries to his brain appeared to be consistent with abuse or assault.

Trooper Tyler Brackman went to the hospital and noticed bruising on the head and neck of the child, who was in a neck brace. Brackman said he appeared to be uncomfortable and upset. The child’s mother, Chelsea Martin, and Curran had been at the hospital for about 45 minutes before leaving.

Both came to state police Schuylkill Haven and denied to investigators they were responsible for the injuries. However, Curran said he had been drinking that night and was arguing with Martin.

Curran said the child fell off the bed onto the floor about 6 p.m. Sept. 25 but seemed OK. Curran called Martin and told her. She told police the child appeared fine when she came home from work at 9:30 p.m. The child was put in bed. However, about 2 hours and 45 minutes later the child woke up screaming, causing Curran to call Martin, who had left again, telling her to get home because the child was screaming and crying.

When Martin arrived, she saw her son crying and unable to move his head. She called 911.

Police interviewed those at the house Sept. 25 who told them they were drinking beer and Curran and others were smoking marijuana. Curran told his friends the boy had fallen off the bed. They said the child was acting like “a typical 11-month-old.” They left at 11 p.m.

One of the visitors said he believed Curran and Martin were fighting that night. He said Curran was upset because he believed Martin was going to visit the child’s father.

Dr. Debra D. Esernio-Jenssen, chief child protective medicine physician at Lehigh Valley Hospital, told Brackman the child’s injuries were in “no way” caused by the fall from a bed.

She said the child had “severe retinal hemorrhaging, brain bleeds, and brain damage.” She also said he had a tear in his mouth. The injuries were caused by “violent shaking” by an adult, resulting in “abusive head trauma.” Long-term physical, cognitive, developmental and behavioral health consequences are possible, she said.

Police said Curran and the boy were the only ones home at the time of the incident. He now has “severe seizures” from the injuries, police said. The child also had to stay at the hospital and a pediatric rehabilitation center for a long time.