New Bedford man charged with child abuse ordered held
January 23, 2019 · By South Coast Today for www.southcoasttoday.com
FALL RIVER — A New Bedford man was found dangerous and ordered held without bail in Superior Court on charges he assaulted an infant, the DA’s office said.
Robert P. Trommenschlager, 31, was ordered held for six months by Judge Raffi Yessayan, after a pre-trial detention hearing, according to Gregg Miliote, a spokesman for Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III. The hearing was held Jan. 11 and the judge issued his decision Jan. 15.
Trommenschlager was indicted in November by a Bristol County Grand Jury on charges of reckless endangerment of a child, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon on a child, retaliating against a witness, and assault and battery, Miliote said.
In May 2017, the state Department of Children and Families was called regarding possible child neglect involving Trommenschlager and his 2-month-old child, Miliote said. DCF investigators went to his home and knocked on the door several times, but received no response.
When the mother of the child came home and let DCF officials inside, they noticed smoke filling the apartment, Miliote said. DCF investigators reported the smoke was not from cigarettes or marijuana.
Investigators entered the bedroom and found the 2-month-old sitting alone in a swinging chair, and Trommenschlager then showed up at the apartment while DCF was inside, he said.
A day care provider noticed what appeared to be burn marks on the baby and bruising, he said. The child was taken to an area hospital where doctors found a laceration in the back of the baby’s throat, consistent with a blunt object being forced into the mouth.
On a subsequent jail call that Trommenschlager made to the mother of the child, he is heard trying to convince her to take the blame because his criminal record is “bad” and will likely face a stiffer prison sentence if convicted, Miliote said.
He is due back in court for trial date assignment on March 27.
“I am pleased the court ruled this defendant is a danger to the community and to the child based on these very serious and disturbing allegations,” DA Quinn said. “The facts of the case and the defendant’s criminal record clearly establish that he should be detained without bail pending trial.”
—Curt Brown
