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Ryan Thomas McClucas, 28, beat the infant until she was unresponsive while at his girlfriend's home in the 100 block of Market Street in Williamstown Borough just after midnight on Wednesday, August 3, Pennsylvania state police state in an affidavit.
The girlfriend and mom, Brandi Lee Sheesley, 35, smacked the girl's mouth and denied the baby medical care for two days, police allege.
The girl was rushed to Hershey Medical Center by a helicopter where the brain bleeds as well as "significant bruises" were discovered on her face, abdomen, and back, doctors told police.
“Someone intentionally caused these injuries,” doctors said according to the affidavit.
At first, the couple apparently denied the abuse but later McClucas told police he had “anger issues" and had abused the infant by squeezing her and grabbing her until she had bruises, court records show.
He would “squeeze and dig his fingers into her abdomen,” while bathing her, he grab the infant by the face when brushing her hair, and had smack her face, previously according to the affidavit.
“McClucas knowing he caused substantial head trauma, failed to seek medical attention for two days forcing the girl to endure the injuries and increasing the risk of serious injury, permanent disfigurement and death,” as stated in the court documents.
Sheesley also later admitted to having smacked her daughter in the mouth hard enough to leave a mark, records show.
When asked why she refused her infant medical care, she claimed the lighting in the home didn't make the bruises apparent, according to PSP.
McClucas works as a firefighter for Liberty Hose No. 1 in Williamstown, according to his social media.
The Liberty Fire Hose Company administration has released the following statement regarding the incident:
As of this date and time, we were made aware of an incident involving one of our active members. The fire company is not involved as this is an isolated incident. We will not answer questions, cause speculations or allow any mention of the incident on this page. We are working diligently and in full cooperation with PSP.
The pair were both charged with felonies for aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child, according to court documents.
They have been held in the Dauphin County Prison on $250,000 bail each, prison records show.
McClucas's preliminary hearing has been scheduled before Magisterial District Judge Rebecca Jo Margerum at 9 a.m. on August 29, according to his court docket.
Sheesley's preliminary hearing will follow at 9:30 a.m., her court docket shows.
Both Sheesley and McClucas have court records.
McClucas had an "alternative sentence" for harassment enforced in 2015 and Sheesley had fines for traffic and apartment rental charges mainly in 2018, according to court records.
Police continue to investigate this incident.
The infant is being cared for by her birth father, "He is taking good care of her," sources told Daily Voice on Friday, August 5.
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