Uniontown parents charged with abuse of baby girl
A Uniontown couple is facing felony child abuse charges after their infant daughter was found unresponsive with her lips turning blue in March.
Mother Faith Franks of 36 Wilson Avenue and father Nakash A. Scarlett of Lenox Street, both 28, were charged Tuesday following a lengthy police investigation.
The baby was found to be severely dehydrated and malnourished. She also had an injury to her kidney, diarrhea and decreased mental functions. She was released from a pediatric intensive care unit following a 9-day hospital stay, according to hospital records abbreviated in court documents. City police obtained 1,200 pages of medical records on the infant with a search warrant.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Fayette EMS, Uniontown City Police and state police were called to the Wilson Avenue home at about 6 p.m. March 18 when Scarlett called 911 to report the 1-year-old girl was unresponsive, not breathing. Franks performed CPR.
When first responders arrived, Scarlett was on the porch, “emotional and upset,” police said. They found the baby breathing but motionless, lying on her back. Franks told investigators she found the baby lying face-down in a puddle of saliva. The parents said they both suffer from seizures. The baby was not vaccinated for religious reasons, they reportedly told police. The baby was taken to Uniontown Hospital by ambulance and flown to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.
A Fayette County Children & Youth Services report determined the baby suffered “serious physical neglect” based on doctors’ findings.
Police determined the child was neglected to the point of suffering serious health risks, noting the period of time was a crucial element of the alleged abuse.
Scarlett and Franks are both charged with aggravated assault of a victim less than 6, endangering the welfare of children, simple assault, reckless endangerment, and conspiracy to commit each crime.
Franks was arraigned Wednesday afternoon before Magisterial District Judge Michael Metros, and released on a $50,000 unsecured bond. City police issued an arrest warrant for Scarlett.