By Joe Napsha
Tribune-Review
HEMPFIELD, Pa.— A Hempfield woman was charged Friday with recklessly endangering the welfare of children for allegedly failing to seek medical attention for an injured child and failing to protect two youngsters from repeated physical abuse.
Jana Rae Mannarino, 32, of Grapeville was arraigned on the charge before Jeannette District Judge Joseph DeMarchis, who told the suspect that she could spend up to seven years in prison if convicted of the crime.
Mannarino was transported to Westmoreland County Prison, where she was being held on $10,000 bond pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 17 before DeMarchis.
Mannarino did not comment on the charges when she walked into the district judge’s office on her own, or when Trooper Raymond Andrekanic escorted her in handcuffs out of the building. If she is released on bond, DeMarchis ordered her not to have any unsupervised contact with any minor child, unless it is approved and supervised and must be approved by the Westmoreland County Children’s and Youth Services.
Mannarino is accused of failing to protect the children from numerous incidents of abuse allegedly inflicted by Barry W. Woods, 36, from July 2013 to Feb. 4, 2014. According to the criminal complaint, Woods is alleged to have caused numerous injuries to both children while Mannarino was at work but told her the injuries were caused by the children falling down. Among the injuries Woods allegedly inflicted on the youngsters were a fractured sinus bone, bruises to the abdomen, face, arms and groin, a black eye and a bloody nose, and punches to the face and groin that caused the boy to bleed.
Mannarino, who told the judge she is an emergency medical technician, allegedly failed to seek medical attention because she was afraid to lose her job, according to a criminal complaint. When a male acquaintance of Mannarino saw a picture of the child’s bruises, he told police on Feb. 3 that he suggested to Mannarino that she take the child to a doctor.
Two doctors at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh concluded that the injuries were caused by child abuse, the affidavit stated.
Woods has been in jail on $250,000 bond since February on charges of aggravated assault and recklessly endangering the welfare of children in connection with the abuse of the two children.
Woods was arraigned Friday on additional charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, simple assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of children. DeMarchis raised his bond by another $100,000 on the new charges.