Police: Shamokin man jailed on child abuse charges
Jan. 31—SHAMOKIN — A 23-year-old Shamokin man is facing felony aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children charges after an incident that officers said left a 6-month-old child with multiple injuries while in his care, according to officials.
Marcus Akers appeared before Shamokin District Judge William Zalinski and was sent to Northumberland County Jail Tuesday, according to officials. He is being held on $250,000 bail.
Zalinski signed an arrest warrant over the weekend, and Akers was picked up by police in connection with a child endangerment case, according to authorities.
Akers faces felony aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children charges.
Shamokin police also arrested Emiyaah Blakely, of Shamokin Street, in connection with the case. She has been charged with felony endangering the welfare of children and will appear before Zalinski at a later date for a preliminary hearing.
Officers said Northumberland County Children and Youth officials told police Blakely took the child on New Year's Eve to Geisinger Medical Center, in Danville, because the child was not acting right.
According to the criminal complaint, the child suffered a broken vertebra and collar bone, along with injuries to the child's eye, foot and bridge of the child's nose.
The woman told police that on Dec. 28, she and the child stayed with Akers and that she went to work the next morning and left the child alone with the man, police said.
Akers was not to be left alone with the child, according to children and youth services.
On Dec. 30, the woman followed the same routine and when she returned on Dec. 31 she noticed the injuries, according to police.
Blakely allegedly told police during an interview that on Dec. 28 the child was in good health and nothing was wrong, according to court documents.
She allegedly told officers she left the child with Akers because she could not find a babysitter, and she had to report to work, police said.
In a second interview on Jan. 20, the woman told police she knew she wasn't supposed to leave the child alone but the child is related to Akers and she wanted the child to see him, police said.
The child is recovering from the injuries, officials said.