SUNBURY - Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Rosini is attempting to have state legislation passed to establish a statute for child abuse charges.
"Defendants charged with assaulting a child aren't receiving adequate punishment for the crimes they commit because there is currently no statute for child abuse cases," the district attorney said.
On Sept. 2, Lawrence Beaver Jr., of 229 W. Sunbury St., Shamokin, was released from jail after being given credit for time served in a child endangerment case. Beaver was sentenced to 91 days to 23 months in prison for fracturing his two-month-old son's skull and ribs by slamming him into a car seat. A felony offense of aggravated assault was dropped (See separate story).
"An aggravated assault charge against a child is difficult to prove because it requires that the defendant act with extreme indifference to the value of human life. The burden of proof for aggravated assault of a child is similar to third-degree murder. Assaulting a child is more serious than assaulting an adult because it could have more lasting effects such as brain damage. Defendants who assault children should be punished accordingly," Rosini said.
Rosini said Northumberland County Judge William H. Wiest sentenced Beaver within the current guidelines established for the simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and endangering the welfare of children charges. But he said if simple assault of a child was changed from a misdemeanor to a felony offense, Beaver would have a received a harsher sentence.