Published: March 30, 2009 11:45 pm      

Dad accused of abusing baby

An 8-week-old Benshoff Hill boy was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital Monday with severe head and chest injuries after police say he was abused by his father.

The infant initially was treated at Memorial Medical Center before being transferred to Children’s Hospital, Pittsburgh, Johnstown police said.

The father, John Nerone, 22, of the 800 block of Benshoff Hill Road, was charged by the Johnstown police with aggravated assault, simple assault, endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person.

Nerone was arraigned before District Judge Mary Ann Zanghi of Vinco and lodged in the Cambria County Prison in lieu of bail.

Police said the father, who was alone with the boy, called for an ambulance around 10:50 a.m. Monday. Nerone went with emergency medical personnel to the hospital.

Nerone told police that he ran several errands earlier Monday with the infant in a car seat and that the infant slept the entire time. He told police that when he returned home, the infant began to make a fuss, so he took the infant out of the car seat.

Nerone told police that while he was holding his son on his left shoulder, his son flung his head back very hard and then began having difficulty in breathing.

Doctors who examined the infant at the hospital said the injuries sustained by the child are indicative of abuse.