Micheal Allan Derr and Jada Shantae Davis.

By Jillian Pikora From Daily Voice

An infant was hospitalized with extensive bruising and a healing rib fracture in Middletown, prompting the arrest of two caretakers, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Tuesday, Dec. 2.

Micheal Allan Derr, 25, and Jada Shantae Davis, 27, both of Enola, were charged after the two-month-old child was taken to Hershey Medical Center’s Pediatric Emergency Room with concerning injuries discovered between Sunday, Oct. 26, and Tuesday, Oct. 28, according to the criminal complaints.

Investigation And Medical Findings

Dauphin County Children and Youth Services contacted police on Oct. 28 after the infant arrived at the hospital with bruises “all over its body,” as stated in the affidavits of probable cause filed by Detective Ryan Lesko. Medical staff documented petechiae on the abdomen, neck, and face, bruising on the interior of the palm and fingers, multiple linear bruises on both upper extremities, and bruising on the right lower leg.

Doctors from Hershey Medical Center’s Child Abuse Team — Dr. Kathryn Crowell and Dr. Megan Cook— told police the injuries were "most consistent with child physical abuse" and could not have been the result of normal infant handling or caused by the child herself. The child’s bloodwork was normal, ruling out medical disorders, the affidavits state.

A repeat skeletal survey on Nov. 18 showed a healing posterior ninth rib fracture, which Dr. Sosamma Methratta confirmed as further evidence of abuse, according to both complaints.

Investigators noted Derr and Davis were the only two individuals responsible for the infant for several weeks. Both denied harming the child.

Charges And Court Proceedings

Derr and Davis were each charged with:

  • Felony Endangering the Welfare of Children.
  • Felony Aggravated Assault.

Both were taken into custody on Friday, Nov. 21, police said. Preliminary arraignments were held on Tuesday, Nov. 25, before Magisterial District Judge David H. Judy. Each was released on $10,000 unsecured bail, according to court dockets.

Their joint preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 11:30 a.m, court records show.