Man charged in brutal bat attack

HAZLETON – A Hazleton man accused of beating his estranged wife and 5-year-old daughter with a baseball bat early Friday morning was angry because he witnessed the child and her 4-year-old sister hugging his wife’s boyfriend the night before, police and prosecutors said.

A bloody Kelvin DeJesus, 24, of 327 W. Green St., was charged with multiple counts of aggravated and simple assault in connection with the brutal attack that happened just before 4 a.m.

“I love her very much, I’m sorry,” DeJesus said about his daughter, Margaret, who is listed in critical condition at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.

Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney David Pedri and Hazleton police Detective James Dixon said the girl and her mother, Sarah DeJesus, 20, were each struck in the head multiple times with a wooden bat. The girl suffered a fractured skull and brain swelling, they said.

“We’re told by physicians that the next 72 hours are crucial,” Pedri said about the 5-year-old.

The girl’s mother is also listed in critical condition at the hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said Friday night.

Pedri and Dixon said there were small bloody handprints and at least 20 impact marks on the wall inside DeJesus’ apartment where the assault began.

“Sarah was dropping off her children at the apartment and we believe an argument took place,” Dixon said. “He (DeJesus) then began punching the mother and grabbed hold of a baseball bat that he used to strike the mother.”

Pedri and Dixon said DeJesus was wearing rubber gloves when Sarah arrived at the apartment.

DeJesus became angry on Thursday when he dropped off his daughters at Sarah’s residence and saw the girls hug the mother’s boyfriend, Oscar Parades. DeJesus called Sarah and threatened her with a bat. He later apologized and made arrangements to watch the girls on Friday.

Sarah and her daughters were driven to DeJesus’ apartment by Parades at 3:30 a.m. Pedri said Sarah was dropping her daughters off that early in the morning because of her employment.

Parades stayed inside his car while Sarah took her daughters inside DeJesus’ apartment. DeJesus, wearing rubber gloves, unlocked the door and told Sarah to put the girls in a bedroom. When she turned around, she claimed DeJesus was standing in a hallway next to a wooden baseball bat.

The 5-year-old girl stood next to Sarah when DeJesus began swinging the bat, hitting Sarah in the head.

Margaret began screaming “Stop hitting my mommy,” Pedri said. DeJesus then struck his daughter in the head at least twice with the bat.

Sarah grabbed her daughter and ran out of the house while DeJesus continued to hit her with the bat; he also hit the wall multiple times, the criminal complaint says.

Police believe the assault continued outside, where Parades saw what was happening. Parades attempted to help Sarah and her daughter by fighting with DeJesus. Pedri said DeJesus suffered facial injuries in the fight with Parades.

Parades was struck in the head with the bat. He ran inside to get Sarah’s 4-year-old daughter, Anabel DeJesus, who wasn’t harmed in the attack, police said.

Pedri said Sarah was holding on to her 5-year-old and ran inside Parades’ vehicle, where DeJesus continued to beat her.

DeJesus was treated at Hazleton General Hospital for facial and eye injuries. Parades was also treated at Hazleton General and released.

DeJesus, a native of the Dominican Republic, said he has a green card that allows him to reside in the United States. Fedullo said they were unable to find DeJesus’ green card at his apartment.

DeJesus was arraigned before District Judge Joseph Zola on six counts of aggravated assault, four counts of recklessly endangering another person, three counts of simple assault, and one count each of endangering the welfare of children, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. He was jailed at the county correctional facility for lack of $250,000 bail.

Clear 27°

News

Cops: Kelvin DeJesus hit his estranged wife, daughter, another man with wooden bat.

Place Quick Ads