Man accused in beatings of 2 kids moving to trial
Both children are now in foster care.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- A man accused of beating two children -- one so severely he had a fractured skull and perforated liver -- is heading to trial in Lawrence County.
Sam Whisel, 26, of Volant, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Lawrence County Central Court. Whisel's attorney Dennis Elisco said his client also intends to waive his right to a formal arraignment April 7. The matter should head to trial after that.
Whisel was returned to the Lawrence County Jail, where he is being held in lieu of 200,000 bond. He is charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.
He is accused in the severe beating of his girlfriend's two children, ages 18 months and 3 years, earlier this month.
Both children are now in foster care, said District Attorney John Bongivengo.
Bongivengo said the children's mother does not face any charges, and he had intended to call her as a witness during Wednesday's hearing.
"She provided us with very good and consistent information for the charges against Mr. Whisel," he said.
Background
Whisel was arrested Feb. 7 by Pennsylvania State Police after his girlfriend, Amy Tillia, showed up at the Grove City Medical Center with the 18-month-old girl. The child had two broken arms and other injuries. She told police the child was injured two days earlier by Whisel after the little girl would not stop crying and Whisel went into her room. Whisel had refused to allow Tillia to take the girl for treatment.
Police and child services workers went to Whisel's home that night when they learned from Tillia that she had left her 3-year-old son in Whisel's care. Police said when they arrived, Whisel first denied the boy was home. They found the child in a rear room badly beaten and bruised with two skull fractures and internal injuries.
Both children were treated at Pittsburgh Children's Hospital.
cioffi@vindy.com