IRWIN TWP., Pa. (EYT) — A 48-year-old man is behind bars for allegedly neglecting and assaulting his autistic grandson.

Court documents indicate that Franklin-based State Police filed criminal charges against 48-year-old James Alan Guffey, of Grove City, on Thursday, December 22, in Magisterial District Judge Patrick E. Lowrey’s office.

According to a criminal complaint, a report of suspected child abuse was filed on March 1, 2022, by a teacher at a school in Zelienople, Pa. The report was made regarding an 11-year-old male student who attended the above-mentioned school.

The victim had recently returned to school after an extended period of absence. The report expressed concern because the victim had lost a significant amount of weight over the previous months and his ribs and spine were visible, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, it was also reported the victim had bruising around his eye and shoulder. The victim was reported to be diagnosed with autism and is non-verbal.

The victim’s grandfather and legal guardian, James Guffey, told school officials he didn’t notice the bruises on the victim and didn’t know how he sustained them, the complaint indicates.

According to the complaint, the victim appeared to be in pain when trying to have a bowel movement, and he vomited after eating. It was noted that school officials had recommended Guffey take the victim to a doctor due to the absences and ongoing issues over the previous months.

School officials were unsure if Guffey followed through with a medical evaluation, but the victim’s condition has not improved. The report indicates concern that Guffey is not taking the necessary steps to ensure the victim’s well-being, the complaint indicates.

After the initial child abuse report was made, Venango County CYS became involved and took the victim to UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics in Grove City on March 7. At this time, the victim weighed 52 lbs., the complaint states.

According to medical records obtained by CYS, the last time the victim was to the doctor was on March 30, 2018, and he weighed 69 lbs. Due to continued concerns for the victim failing to thrive, CYS advised Guffy to take the victim to UPMC Children’s in Pittsburgh for evaluation. Guffey complied and upon evaluation, the victim was admitted to the hospital for malnourishment, according to the complaint.

During the victim’s stay at Children’s Hospital, numerous tests were performed and nothing abnormal was found during the testing and no medical issues could explain the victim’s weight loss. It was presumed that the victim’s weight loss was due to inadequate calorie intake due to not being offered sufficient calories at home, the complaint states.

A doctor of UPMC Children’s provided her professional opinion that the victim “is definitely a victim of chronic neglect.” Upon admission, the victim was also found to have abrasions on his arms and a rash on his buttocks. The contact dermatitis to his buttocks appeared to be chronic, although Guffey advised medical personnel that the rash had just developed, according to the complaint.

On April 21, 2022, a CY-104 form was faxed to PSP Franklin from Venango County CYS. The report summarized the above facts and circumstances. After receiving the report, troopers spoke with a caseworker who advised that the victim lives with his grandfather James Guffey and that the victim’s grandparents have raised him, but the grandmother died in October 2018, the complaint states.

The caseworker related the victim’s parents do not live in the area and are not involved in his day-to-day life. The victim had recently missed a significant amount of school and was absent the entire month of January until February 9. The caseworker advised she questioned Guffey as to why the victim had missed so much school, and Guffey claimed he kept the victim home from school because of diarrhea. Guffey was asked if he took the victim to a doctor, and he said he had. The caseworker, however, related she found no record of those visits when she contacted the victim’s doctor’s office in Grove City. The caseworker also indicated the victim was up to 66 lbs. as of his last check-up on April 20. She related there appears to be a correlation that the victim had lost weight when he wasn’t going to school and receiving school lunches, according to the complaint.

On May 19, PSP Franklin interviewed Guffey who acknowledged the reason for this investigation. Guffey related the victim has phases when he will refuse to eat for days. During January, Guffey said the victim had a phase where this lasted longer than usual, extending beyond five days. Guffey related the victim continued to drink liquids, but he refused to eat. Since the victim was drinking, Guffey said he purchases “Boost” to help supplement some nutrition. Guffey acknowledged the victim lost a significant amount of weight, which he attributed to the victim refusing to eat, as well as continuous vomiting and diarrhea, according to the complaint.

Guffey related he wasn’t sending the victim to school out of courtesy to the school.. He claimed he took the victim to the doctor in Grove City due to the weight loss and vomiting/diarrhea. Guffey related he took the victim to see the doctor multiple times during the month of January (prior to CYS getting involved), however, there was no proof of the visits, the complaint states.

Guffey said he previously owed the doctor’s office money for a co-pay, and that’s why they probably didn’t document the visits. Police advised Guffey that according to the victim’s medical records, the last time the victim had been to the doctor was in 2018. Guffey indicated that “was probably about right, or words to that effect.” Guffey indicated the victim is able to consume food on his own and that food has always been available to the victim. He also said he doesn’t have a problem paying for the food supply for the home, the complaint states.

On May 20, police spoke with the victim’s teacher who related the victim missed a significant amount of school in January and February this year. The school was not provided with a doctor’s excuse, and these absences were considered unexcused. When the victim did return to school, he had lost a noticeable amount of weight loss and was having difficulty keeping food down and would often throw up. The victim was constipated and showed signs of distress while trying to have a bowel movement. They sometimes have to limit the amount of food they give the victim because sometimes he will consume it too quickly. The victim also had some bruises on his face and body. When questioned about the bruises, Guffey indicated he did not know how the victim got them. The school urged Guffey to take the victim to see a doctor. The school eventually made the report because the victim didn’t seem to be improving, according to the complaint.

Between May 25 and September 27, CYS continually conducted weight checks on the victim. Between these dates, the victim’s weight fluctuated between 71 lbs. (May 25, 2022) and 80.6 lbs (August 4, 2022), the complaint states.

On October 11, the victim was at school and reportedly had a seizure. He was transported to UPMC Children’s. Upon admission, the victim had a bruise around his left eye, upper arms, forearms, abrasions to his right side and upper thigh, as well as a bite mark on top of his left foot. Medical records indicate the victim had other injuries to his body that were in various stages of healing. According to the medical notes, Guffey claimed the victim had bitten himself and that the injuries to the victim’s side and thigh occurred as the victim fell down a hill and into some brush, according to the complaint.

Guffey indicated he didn’t notice the bruising on the victim’s eyelid before he went to school. Again, the victim was seen by a doctor who’s assessment of the victim stated, “the marks to the child—the number, location, appearance are virtually diagnostic of physical child abuse.” The doctor also indicated she had continued concerns for the neglect of the victim since his weight has not increased since the springtime, the complaint states.

As a result of the above issues, another report was made to ChildLine, which was forwarded to PSP Franklin by Venango County CYS on October 13. Upon discharge from the hospital, Venango County CYS initiated proceedings, and the victim was subsequently placed in a foster home in the interest of his well-being. After receiving the ChildLine, police spoke to the caseworker who indicated the victim was placed in a foster home on October 13, at which time he weighed 70 lbs. Since that time, the victim has begun gaining weight again. The caseworker related the victim seems to be thriving in the foster home and sees improvement in his condition overall. The caseworker provided documentation showing the victim was up to 79 lbs. during his doctor visit on November 18, according to the complaint.

On November 10, police contacted the victim’s school and spoke with another teacher who related the following: the report was made due to concerns about the victim’s home environment. The victim had bruises all over his body and smelled of urine. Guffey claimed to have not noticed the bruising or provided inconsistent stories of how the victim got the bruises. The victim is extremely food aggressive and is asking for food all day long, the complaint states.

On December 15, police spoke with the victim’s foster mother who advised the victim had numerous injuries, including a bite mark on his ankle. She also indicated she observed what she believed to be cigarette burns on the victim’s body. The night the victim came to the foster mother, he was starving, and it seemed like she couldn’t feed him enough. She also stated that this type of food aggressiveness has since subsided, and now the victim weighs 81 lbs, according to the complaint.

PSP Frankin asked the foster mother if she had experienced the victim having any digestive issues like vomiting or diarrhea. She related that when the victim first came to them, he would eat so fast that he would throw up. This behavior has also subsided, and now the victim has learned to eat and drink at a normal pace, she said. The foster mother indicated the victim knows how to let them know when he’s hungry and that she has not experienced him refusing to eat. The victim has also been working on potty training and now he is starting to let them know when he needs to use the bathroom. The foster mother said she has concerns that the victim was being abused and believed there is no way he had bitten himself. Additionally, the foster mother advised that when the victim first came to them, he would frequently flinch and seemed as if he was afraid they would hit him, according to the complaint.

The foster mother related the victim seems to be getting more comfortable with them and is starting to realize they aren’t going to hurt him. Police asked the foster mother if he has displayed any self-injurious behaviors, and the foster mother related the only things she has noticed is the victim does tend to pick at himself and did have a scab on his chin that is healing. She also indicated there have been occasions where the victim gets frustrated and will hit himself in the head with his hand, the complaint states.

Based on the facts and circumstances discovered during the investigation, PSP Frankin requested Guffey be made to stand before the court on the following charge:

– Endangering Welfare of Children — Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense, Felony 3

He was arraigned at 1:30 p.m. on December 22, in front of Judge Lowrey.

Unable to post $10,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Venango County Prison.

A preliminary hearing is set for Wednesday, January 4, at 8:30 a.m., in Venango County Central Court with Judge Lowrey presiding.