Boyfriend charged with sexually assaulting 3-month-old
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A Westmoreland County man has been charged with sexually assaulting a 3-month-old girl.
Rostraver police arrested Joseph Settle, 18, of West Leisenring, last week on charges that he sexually assaulted his then-girlfriend's daughter in the fall.
The mother, whose name was not released, told police that Mr. Settle had been caring for her daughter on Oct. 22 and when she returned home, the girl was crying and bleeding, according to a criminal complaint.
The girl was taken to Mount Pleasant Hospital and then transferred to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, undergoing surgery at one point to repair her injuries. Doctors said they found evidence of a sex assault.
Mr. Settle told police he didn't know where the girl's injuries came from and that he might have accidentally scratched her while changing her diaper, according to a criminal complaint.
Mr. Settle was arrested Thursday and is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison on $100,000 bail, according to court records.
He is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. Friday.
First Published February 15, 2012 12:00 am
