ALTOONA, PA — Bryan Morales Gracia, a 34-year-old man from Pennsylvania, has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child following a disturbing incident in Altoona.
The Altoona Police Department responded to a distressing call at approximately 10:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 25, at the Evergreen Manors apartment complex, located roughly 100 miles east of Pittsburgh. According to the police report, a witness observed a man, later identified as Morales Gracia, assaulting an 18-month-old child through an apartment window.
The police news release detailed how the witness, parked outside the apartment, saw Morales Gracia holding the toddler and striking the child repeatedly. The situation escalated when Morales Gracia allegedly threw the child with such force that he landed on the family’s small Chihuahua, resulting in the dog’s death.
The identity of the toddler has not been disclosed by the authorities. Morales Gracia now faces multiple charges, including one count of aggravated assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, among other related crimes. The investigation is ongoing, and further details will be released as they become available.