PORT ALLEGANY MAN CONVICTED OF ASSAULTING A CHILD
District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reports that, following a jury trial at the McKean County Courthouse on February 5th, a Port Allegany man was convicted of assaulting a child.
Garret HOMELL was charged after an investigation by Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Bradley Walters who led the investigation into the cause of injuries to a 3-year-old child who presented at the emergency room covered in bruises.
Following the investigation, Trooper Walters charged HOMELL with Aggravated Assault of a Victim less than 6 years old, Endangering Welfare of a Child, Simple Assault, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person. During the trial, the jury heard testimony that the 3-year-old victim was left in the care and custody of HOMELL for the weekend of January 24, 2025, through January 25, 2025.
HOMELL was the sole caregiver of the child that weekend. When the child’s foster mother picked him up, he was covered in bruises. The child was taken to the Bradford Regional Medical Center emergency room for treatment. In the days following, the child was seen for follow up at BRMC, by his primary care physician and, ultimately, at UPMC-Pittsburgh.
The jury heard testimony from the victim’s foster mother, CYS caseworkers, HOMELL’s ex-wife, several members of the Pennsylvania State Police, and numerous medical professionals who saw the child. A doctor who is an expert in the field of child abuse pediatrics testified that her expert opinion is that the cause of the child’s injuries was child abuse.
The jury convicted HOMELL of Aggravated Assault of a Victim Less than 6 (felony of the second degree); Endangering Welfare of Children (felony of the second degree); Simple Assault (misdemeanor of the first degree); and Recklessly Endangering Another Person (misdemeanor of the second degree). The District Attorney’s Office will seek an enhanced penalty as permitted under Pennsylvania law for the child’s age and the nature of his injuries.
For these enhancements, the jury found that HOMELL both attempted to cause bodily injury and did cause bodily injury to increase the penalty for aggravated assault; that HOMELL created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury and the child was under six years of age to increase the penalty for Endangering Welfare of a Child; and that HOMELL both attempted to cause bodily injury and did cause bodily injury and the child was under the age of 12 to increase the penalty for Simple Assault.
The Presiding Judge also found Homell guilty of Harassment (a summary). Second Deputy District Attorney Sarah Dufresne prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth. District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer: “The nature of this case resulted in evidence that was hard to see, including photographs of the injuries to the young child.
Trooper Walters completed a thorough investigation and Second Deputy District Attorney Sarah Dufresne led a successful prosecution in a case with a most vulnerable victim. Child abuse cases are difficult, yet no case is more important than one with a young victim. Their collective efforts and tireless work on the case are evident, and I thank them for working so hard for this child. Sentencing will be announced by subsequent court order. If you suspect child abuse, please call Childline at 1-800-932-0313 and 911.
