A York City Police officer has been arrested for sexually abusing a toddler. Steven Cugini, 28, was arrested on Tuesday after the authorities were alerted to the child’s injuries.
According to the local ABC affiliate, online court documents show that Cugini is facing several felony charges, including the rape of a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, and aggravated assault. The York City Police announced that it suspended the former officer after the accusations came to light.
‼️POLICE OFFICER arrested
for RAP!NG a 1yo baby 👶🏻The 1yo baby girl is receiving treatment at the Hershey Medical Center after a BRUTAL R@PE left her with BROKEN bones 😳
Steven Cugini who is a York City Police Officer and US Army National Guard Calvary Scout has been… pic.twitter.com/8aCrwznbTo
— i Expose Racist & Pedos (@iSeeRacist) April 17, 2024
York City Police Commissioner Michael Muldrow issued a statement explaining that Cugini “has been immediately suspended as the investigation continues and the City looks to take the appropriate action.” He vowed that if the allegations are accurate, “trust and believe I’ll be the first to take swift and definitive action against them.”
The abuse is alleged to have taken place between April 11 and April 15 in Elizabethville Borough and Springettsbury Township. After the child was dropped off at daycare, the injuries were discovered and brought to law enforcement.
A daycare worker at the YMCA Youth Development Center in Halifax, Dauphin County, called police after the girl was dropped off there with serious injuries that the worker suspected were signs of abuse, court records show.
It was later found that in addition to sexual violence, state police said the child suffered broken bones and severe bruising. Police were called to Penn State Hershey Medical Center after the child was examined by medical staff. The Dauphin County Child Abuse Team and Pennsylvania State Police also were involved in the investigation.
The child was later transferred to a local hospital for examination and the authorities later found evidence that Cugini had allegedly committed the crime.
The child was transported to Hershey Medical Center for treatment where it was discovered they had broken bones and was a victim of sexual violence, according to State Police.
The victim’s mother told State Police the child suffered the injuries from a hard fall during bath time. State Police say the mother “went on to provide implausible explanations for several other injuries to the victim’s body” including that bruising was caused by the family dog.
State Police say Cugini was identified and interviewed as a potential suspect. During his interview, State Police say Cugini initially denied giving care to the child, but went on to say he changed “a few diapers” and gave the victim a bath, at which point there was an accident in the bathroom.
Troopers say text messages later showed Cugini acknowledging his responsibility for the victim’s bruising.
According to State Police, the victim’s mother also disclosed that Cugini had locked himself in the bathroom with the child and that she could hear crying and loud noises coming from the room.
The former officer is now incarcerated in Dauphin County Prison on $200,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is set for May 1.
