LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. — A Lebanon daycare worker has been accused of hitting a 3-year-old child hard enough that the employee fractured her hand, according to a criminal complaint affidavit.
Angela Bender, 57, allegedly hit the victim multiple times with both a closed and open hand while changing the child, resulting in a fracture to Bender's hand. The employee called the child's mother to come pick them up so she could seek medical attention for her hand and allegedly said she had dropped the victim while placing them in the tub.
The mother brought the child to the hospital after the incident, which happened on June 16, 2023, when she noticed bruising on their forehead, bruising on their left cheek, a subconjunctival hemorrhage under their left eye and additional injuries around the victim's mouth.
The physicians who evaluated the child said the marks were not caused by typical child play or a short fall such as Bender claimed, and the marks were instead consistent with child abuse, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
When police interviewed Bender on June 21, she allegedly admitted that the child was blowing on her face while Bender tried to change their diaper, so Bender squeezed the victim's face and hit them to get them to stop.
Bender is charged with aggravated assault - victim less than 13 and defendant 18 or older and endangering welfare of children - parent/guardian/other commits offense.
She was arraigned on Jan. 3 and awaits a preliminary hearing on Jan. 18, court documents show.
