Topline: Police say the man admitted to hitting the 3-year-old multiple times in anger after the child wouldn’t fall asleep.
Published: September 11, 2025 9:00 am ET
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Michael Torres (via Lancaster County DA's Office)
LANCASTER, PA — A Pennsylvania man is in hot water after being accused of brutally assaulting a toddler after the child wouldn’t fall asleep.
Michael Torres, 27, faces charges of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children in connection with the July 20 incident that left a 3-year-old with a broken and displaced femur.
The injuries, according to medical personnel at Lancaster General Hospital, were consistent with blunt force trauma to the upper thigh.
Torres appeared before Judge Adam Witkonis on August 27 and waived his right to a preliminary hearing, according to a statement from the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
He remains in Lancaster County Prison on $75,000 bail.
Police were first alerted when nursing staff at Lancaster General became suspicious of potential child abuse and notified authorities. Officers responded to the hospital around 7:36 a.m. that morning and began investigating what they soon confirmed as a violent assault.
According to police reports cited by WPMT, Torres admitted to striking the child three to four times with an open palm, targeting the upper thigh. He told investigators he acted out of frustration after the child wouldn’t fall asleep, reportedly saying during the assault that he was “going to give him something to cry about.”
The incident took place in the child’s bedroom at Torres’ residence in the 500 block of High Street. The full extent of the victim’s injuries was assessed by the hospital’s trauma team, who determined the femur was not only broken but also displaced—a sign of significant force.
Torres will now face formal arraignment and additional proceedings in county court as the case moves forward.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Michael Torres (via Lancaster County DA's Office)
LANCASTER, PA — A Pennsylvania man is in hot water after being accused of brutally assaulting a toddler after the child wouldn’t fall asleep.
Michael Torres, 27, faces charges of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children in connection with the July 20 incident that left a 3-year-old with a broken and displaced femur.
The injuries, according to medical personnel at Lancaster General Hospital, were consistent with blunt force trauma to the upper thigh.
Torres appeared before Judge Adam Witkonis on August 27 and waived his right to a preliminary hearing, according to a statement from the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
He remains in Lancaster County Prison on $75,000 bail.
Police were first alerted when nursing staff at Lancaster General became suspicious of potential child abuse and notified authorities. Officers responded to the hospital around 7:36 a.m. that morning and began investigating what they soon confirmed as a violent assault.
According to police reports cited by WPMT, Torres admitted to striking the child three to four times with an open palm, targeting the upper thigh. He told investigators he acted out of frustration after the child wouldn’t fall asleep, reportedly saying during the assault that he was “going to give him something to cry about.”
The incident took place in the child’s bedroom at Torres’ residence in the 500 block of High Street. The full extent of the victim’s injuries was assessed by the hospital’s trauma team, who determined the femur was not only broken but also displaced—a sign of significant force.
Torres will now face formal arraignment and additional proceedings in county court as the case moves forward.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
‘Going to Give Him Something to Cry About’: Man Allegedly Broke Toddler’s Leg Over Sleep
Police say the man admitted to hitting the 3-year-old multiple times in anger after the child wouldn’t fall asleep.
By Jacob Charles
Published: September 11, 2025 9:00 am ET
Michael Torres (via Lancaster County DA's Office)
LANCASTER, PA — A Pennsylvania man is in hot water after being accused of brutally assaulting a toddler after the child wouldn’t fall asleep.
Michael Torres, 27, faces charges of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children in connection with the July 20 incident that left a 3-year-old with a broken and displaced femur.
The injuries, according to medical personnel at Lancaster General Hospital, were consistent with blunt force trauma to the upper thigh.
Torres appeared before Judge Adam Witkonis on August 27 and waived his right to a preliminary hearing, according to a statement from the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
He remains in Lancaster County Prison on $75,000 bail.
Police were first alerted when nursing staff at Lancaster General became suspicious of potential child abuse and notified authorities. Officers responded to the hospital around 7:36 a.m. that morning and began investigating what they soon confirmed as a violent assault.
According to police reports cited by WPMT, Torres admitted to striking the child three to four times with an open palm, targeting the upper thigh. He told investigators he acted out of frustration after the child wouldn’t fall asleep, reportedly saying during the assault that he was “going to give him something to cry about.”
The incident took place in the child’s bedroom at Torres’ residence in the 500 block of High Street. The full extent of the victim’s injuries was assessed by the hospital’s trauma team, who determined the femur was not only broken but also displaced—a sign of significant force.
Torres will now face formal arraignment and additional proceedings in county court as the case moves forward.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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