LOWER PAXTON TOWNSHIP, Pa.–A Pennsylvania State Trooper has been suspended without pay after he was charged earlier this week for allegedly assaulting a child in Dauphin County.
Steven M. Blain, 49, of Harrisburg, is charged with aggravated assault on a child less than 6 years of age and endangering the welfare of children.
According to Lower Paxton Township police reports, the charges stemmed from an investigation into allegation of domestic abuse which occurred between March 2015 and March 2016.
Blain’s wife, Angela Blain reported to police that he had been both verbally and physically abusive towards both her and their 4-5 year old daughter.
Angela told police he would often “yell and scream” at their daughter and become frustrated with her. She stated that he would pull her hair both to gain her attention and compliance.
Upon coming home from work, Angela told police she witnessed her husband pull their daughter up the stairs by her hair. She later stated that she found what appeared to be rug burns on the girl’s back.
Angela also had documented past injuries from abuse in photographs that she showed police. She stated that she did not witness the abuse, but saw her daughter’s bruises later.
In once incident, the girl was documented with a large bruise on her thigh. The girl told her mother that her father had been “mean” to her and thrown her into her bedroom -resulting on her landing on her metal bed frame.
In a second incident, a photo showed several abrasions on the child’s back. Angela stated that when she returned home from work her daughter complained of back pain and she noticed the injuries. Both times the child was in her husband’s care.
Angela estimated there were approximately 10 incidents of Steven dragging the child by her hair up the carpeted steps that lead to the second floor of the home, which she had either witnessed or her daughter told her about.
Blain has been with the Pennsylvania State Police for 18 years, according to Trooper Robert Hicks, a state police spokesman.
He was arraigned Tuesday and has since posted $25,000 unsecured bail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 14.
