An Allegheny Township man was accused of spanking a 5-year-old so hard that it left a handprint on the child’s back and buttocks.
Benjamin Paul Eshenbaugh, 35, of Kepple Road was charged Tuesday, Jan. 17, with felony counts of aggravated assault of a child under age 6 and endangering the welfare of a child.
He was released from custody on a $50,000 unsecured bond and faces a preliminary hearing before District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec on Jan. 31, according to court records.
Allegheny Township police wrote in a criminal complaint that they received a state ChildLine report about the alleged incident Dec. 7 saying that the child’s mother took them to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh after discovering the injuries after returning from day care.
The ChildLine report said the child had abrasions and bruising on their buttocks and lower back that were “highly concerning for physical abuse,” police said.
Police were provided with photographs showing a handprint on the the child’s back and buttocks as well as “deeper bruising” that appeared to have been caused by an object other than a hand, according to a criminal complaint.
When questioned by police, Eshenbaugh admitted he struck the child out of anger because they misbehaved at day care, the complaint said.
He told investigators that “he went too far.” He said that the deeper bruises were caused by the buttons on his jacket sleeve, according to his arrest papers.
