CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. – Police say a Mount Holly Springs father is responsible for his month old child’s multiple broken bones that extended from his legs to his arms. James Brenneman, 21, was arraigned Thursday morning.
According to the criminal complaint, police received a call on December 29, 2015 from a Children and Youth caseworker reporting a possible child abuse. The caseworker said she had the medical records from Penn State Hershey Medical Center of a month old infant who had 11 confirmed fractures and that further tests may reveal other injuries.
She said that she had spoken to the child’s father James Brenneman, Jr., at the hospital. He gave her different stories about how the injuries occurred. One story was that the child had grabbed onto his phone which then fell onto the child’s face. He said on another occasion he had placed the infant on the floor while other children were running around and playing and that the children had run over the child causing the injuries. The baby’s grandmother contradicted that story saying that children were not at the house during the time period Brenneman described.
Yet another version was that he dropped the child onto the bassinet while changing the child’s diaper. The infant’s abdomen, according to Brenneman, struck the edge of bassinet. The baby’s grandmother convinced Brenneman to take the child to the hospital to be checked out. The child was treated and released from Carlisle Regional Medical Center.
The additional tests at Penn State Hershey Medical Center confirmed a total of 18 fractures to both arms, numerous ribs and legs of the bay.
Police also say that Brenneman told the child’s mother not to get the police involved and not give investigators his address or any of his other information. He even gave her a phony home address to pass on to police.
Following the investigation a warrant was obtained for Brenneman’s arrest. Charges include Aggravated Assault, and Endangering Welfare of Children.
Brenneman faces a preliminary on March 1. He was released from custody after posting $25,000.
