Erie police charge city woman with alleged assault on 2-year-old child

Anna M. Strawcutter, 24, was arraigned Friday evening on charges of second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. The incident occurred on August 1, according to police.

According to Strawcutter's criminal complaint, when Strawcutter took the child to a pediatrician, significant injuries were found and the child was immediately taken to the UPMC Hamot emergency room. The child has bruising and blood stains on her face and neck, believed to be consistent with strangulation or suffocation, the investigating Erie Police officer wrote in the complaint's probable cause affidavit.

When questioned by police on Friday, Strawcutter admitted to putting his hand around the child's neck a few days before the visit to the pediatrician to stop him from crying, the officer wrote in the affidavit.