Mathews

A city man is behind bars following a years-long investigation into a 6-week-old baby’s broken arm and numerous other injuries.

Michael Anthony Mathews Jr., 35, was arraigned Friday before Magisterial District Judge Matthew Dunio on three felony counts of aggravated assault, one count of endangering the welfare of children, and one felony count of simple assault and endangering another person. Unable to post $200,000 bail, he was remanded to the Blair County Jail.

The investigation began on August 28, 2020, when Altoona Police responded to UPMC Altoona for a 6-week-old victim with a broken arm. The baby had been taken to the hospital after the victim’s mother took him to a doctor’s appointment, where the doctor discovered the injury. At UPMC Altoona, additional evidence of abuse was found due to healing rib fractures, a possible fracture of the lower left leg and the recent fracture of the upper left arm, according to the probable cause affidavit.

A nurse at the hospital told officers that Mathews said, “It’s my fault.”

In an interview with police, Mathews said he was walking down a staircase at his residence while holding the victim and a blanket. Upon landing, Mathews said she tripped over the blanket and landed with her full weight on top of the child, court documents state.

When interviewed, the victim’s mother was unaware of the fall Mathews reported and said she did not notice any swelling in the arm when she requested the victim’s doctor’s appointment. The mother later told medical providers that Mathews allegedly swaddled the baby too tightly, police records show.

On September 2, 2020, officers received a doctor’s report from the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Child Advocacy Center detailing approximately 12 different injuries, 10 of which involved fractures, in various stages of healing. In her report, the doctor said the victim was “subjected to physical abuse of the child on multiple occasions,” the victim’s injuries “caused substantial pain and temporary impairment” and “a reasonable caregiver would have recognized that the child’s left arm was injured,” the court. the documents state.

In an interview on August 10, 2020, Mathews said it was not intentional and swaddled the victim “very hard”.

He told officers he relapsed one night about two weeks before the victim was taken to hospital and “I think I pushed really hard.”

On October 21, 2020, a witness reported to police that he was staying with the victim’s mother and Mathews at their residence when the couple began arguing. The witness said he heard Mathews say “the baby wouldn’t stop crying” before he picked up the victim and hugged him, police records show.

On May 23, 2024, officers interviewed another witness who said he saw Mathews throw the victim down the stairs of the home. Mathews was then taken into custody on a Blair County Sheriff’s warrant on May 26, 2024, and interviewed again. Mathews said he was using methamphetamine, heroin and benzos at the time the victim was born. He also confirmed that their residence was used as a meeting place for dealers and users, court documents show.

During the interview, Mathews said he didn’t know how the victim’s arm was broken, but admitted he grabbed the child too hard, saying he regretted it. He also denied letting the victim down the stairwell.

On August 9, 2024, officers consulted with the physician at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Child Advocacy Center regarding the case and Mathews’ statements. The doctor said the rib fractures were consistent with strangulation, while the leg injuries would have been caused by a violent event requiring substantial force. She told officers that all of the victim’s injuries were consistent with multiple violent events.

Mathews is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio on Nov. 27.