An Allentown man is accused of leaving a 3-year-old battered and bruised after hitting the child with a belt.

The incident involving 21-year-old Shamell Ward occurred overnight Jan. 17 into Jan. 18 in a home in the 30 block of North 10th Street in the city, according to police. Charges were filed Feb. 3, and Ward was arraigned in the case Thursday night.

Ward, of the 1500 block of West Walnut Street in Allentown, is charged with aggravated assault by an adult on a child younger than 6, simple assault and child endangerment.

He was sent to Lehigh County Prison in lieu of 10 percent of $100,000 bail.

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Police said they were alerted of a possible child abuse case on Jan. 19, a day after the boy's mother took him to St. Luke's Hospital in Allentown for an injury to his genitals.

The boy was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township for treatment, where a doctor found "numerous" marks and bruises on his back, chest and legs, as well as a severe injury to his genitals, police said.

The victim's mother reported Ward was watching her two sons while she worked the night of Jan. 17 into the morning of Jan. 18, police said.

The mother told investigators she didn't see any injuries on the 3-year-old before she left the house, but after she came home she found the injury to his genitals.

The victim and his brother told officers that Ward caused the injuries, according to police.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

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