Police: Man sexually assaulted infant


February 15, 2012 at 8:42a.m.

Police: Man sexually assaulted infant

BELLE VERNON, Pa. (AP) — A western Pennsylvania man is behind bars charged with sexually assaulting his girlfriend’s 3-month-old baby last year.

Police in Rostraver, Westmoreland County say 18-year-old Joseph Settle had been caring for the girl in October when she sustained injuries that required surgery.

Court documents say Settle told police he may have scratched the girl while changing her diaper. But investigators say doctors found evidence of a sexual assault.

Settle was taken into custody last week and charged with counts including aggravated assault, aggravated indecent assault and endangering the welfare of a child. He’s being held on $100,000 bail.

Settle lives in West Leisenring in neighboring Fayette County. Online court records do not list an attorney for him.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday.