A Bradford pair was charged Friday with allegations of child endangerment for allegedly neglecting a 3-year-old to the point the child needed to be flown to Buffalo, N.Y., for medical care.
Andrew M. Bishop, 31, whose addresses were given as State Street and the High Rise, and Mellinda D. Davies, 29, of State Street and Kiwanis Court, were each charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree felonies.
According to the criminal complaints, on Oct. 29, a Bradford City police officer was contacted by McKean County Children and Youth Services about a potential neglect case. The child was flown by medical helicopter from Bradford Regional Medical Center to Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo on Oct. 25 for treatment, and CYS was investigating.
On Jan. 6, the final investigative report from CYS was given to police. The report indicated the child had been neglected by Bishop and Davies, that the child’s teeth were rotted and full of bacteria, the child lacked medical care and had missed nine doctor’s appointments, the complaints stated.
When the child was taken for a health visit in August, the doctor found the child had multiple issues including with feeding, speech and behavior. The child weighed 30 pounds. On Oct. 25, the child weighed only 24 pounds.
When taken to BRMC on Oct. 25, “the child was emaciated and had matted hair that was full of lice. Due to the level of care needed, the child was (flown) to Oishei Children’s Hospital that same day,” the complaints read.
While at the Buffalo hospital, the child had to have surgery to have a nasogastric feeding tube put in to receive nutrition, as the child was “unable to suck or sip on a sippy cup.” The child was at the hospital until Nov. 11.
Bishop and Davies were both arraigned Friday before District Judge Dom Cercone and released on $25,000 unsecured bail. Both are scheduled for preliminary hearings March 10 before Cercone.
