A Bradford man, two months out of state prison for a near-fatal assault on an 18-month-old, is in McKean County Jail for allegations relating to the death of his 2-year-old son on Thursday.

Constantly fidgeting, frequently muttering and repeatedly tugging on the hospital gown he was wearing, Tyler Prescott was arraigned late Thursday by District Judge Rich Luther on four felonies — three counts of aggravated assault and one of endangering the welfare of a child.

“We do expect to increase the charges to homicide,” said District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer, addressing the judge as she requested the high bail for Prescott. She went through the list of horrific injuries to the 2-year-old boy, whose name was not released, and said further charges would be pending the results of the autopsy.

Prescott was released from state prison June 16 after serving the maximum sentence for the severe assault on a young child in 2021 in Bradford — so severe the 18-month-old nearly died.

“Here we are again; unfortunately, the child did not make it,” Shaffer said.

The child was in Prescott’s custody, the county’s top prosecutor said.

“The mother reports there was a desire for him to be in a relationship” with his father, Shaffer said.

Luther read the affidavit of probable cause in the case. The child was with Prescott from July 17 to Thursday, when the person who lived at the residence came home around 4:30 a.m. and found Prescott and the child lying next to each other on a mattress on the floor; the child was blue and cold to the touch. Prescott was asleep.

The other man woke Prescott up and tried to get the father to give his son CPR, but Prescott was groggy and wasn’t coming around very quickly. The other man started livesaving efforts, and the child was taken to Bradford Regional Medical Center by paramedics when they arrived.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Officers at the scene said Prescott was pacing back and forth, rambling and distraught. The child had an obvious hematoma to his head; Prescott said that was from the child falling off a chair. He said the boy had been hit in the face with a Nerf gun and had a bicycle accident. However, Chief Mike Ward, who had gone to BRMC to observe the injuries to the child, said none of those were consistent with the extensive injuries to the child, Luther stated.

Ward said he saw marks on the child’s head, pooling blood under the skin around the sides of the child’s head, an apparent bite mark on the victim’s back, a diaper full of coagulated blood, an open wound to his genitals, anal trauma and blunt force trauma injuries on his body. The majority of the bruises appeared circular.

When police were speaking to Prescott at the scene, they noted he was sweating profusely and was showing signs consistent with someone who had been using a controlled substance. He offered conflicting stories about the victim’s injuries, and eventually admitted to the police that he had used methamphetamine a few days earlier.

After reading the probable cause, Luther began explaining the process to Prescott, at which time Prescott began speaking, interrupting the judge and proclaiming his innocence.

Luther asked him to quiet down, and set a date for Central Court for Aug. 21. He advised Prescott to fill out an application for representation by the public defender’s office.

The judge began asking questions to determine a bail amount, but Prescott kept interrupting. Again, the judge admonished him, telling him repeatedly of his right to remain silent.

When Shaffer was asked for input in bail, she asked for $800,000 to $1 million. She explained his prior criminal history, and said with that case, the probation department said he had a poor supervision history. She pointed out this was the same activity that he had served prison time for, and should not be allowed a “third bite of the apple.”

Prescott addressed the judge as well, saying he was innocent of the first assault on a child. “I will prove my innocence this time. They were lying. Yes I do have an extensive record but I’ve always owned up to that shit. I request low bail.”

Luther began to speak, but then so did Prescott. “These are serious, serious allegations,” the judge began, “Don’t interrupt me.

“These are serious allegations. I feel I’m going to be generous here. I’m going to set your bail at ($1 million) but I think it should be higher.”

When the proceeding had concluded, Prescott continued to fidget, and ask repeated questions of Shaffer and of Luther. He was advised again to seek representation from the public defender’s office.