"Baby John" UNGER - 9 Months (2010) - Cambria (W of Altoona) PA

Cambria PA ---- Shawna Unger was arrested Tuesday
morning by Cambria Township Police. Unger is accused of beating her
9-month old son on April 13, 2010. According to police the home was
also covered in filth.
“It was in complete disarray. There was mold everywhere, food on the
floor- clothes thrown all over the place. And cigarettes on the floor
which the kids could get to,” said Officer Justin Kreutzberger.
Kreutzberger said the abuse happened in an apartment building on the
200 block of Tripoli Road in Colver.
According to a criminal complaint form Unger first told police that
her son fell out of his crib, and then she said her 3-year old son threw
him from their crib.
Unger later admitted to police in a written statement she beat her
son because she “snapped,” when he wouldn’t stop crying.
The 9-month old child suffered skull fractures, and soft tissue
swelling. Both of her sons were removed from her custody.
Unger is in the Cambria County Prison on $25,000 bond.

Just for your information, she was released today! She is out of jail and back on the street. Hopefully, she has no contact with that poor child.

1074kmc wrote:Just for your information, she was released today! She is out of jail and back on the street. Hopefully, she has no contact with that poor child.

---Thanks for the update 1074KMC! You can get a 25 thousand dollar bond for about 10% of that from any bondsmen. It is generally standard procedure that there would be an NCO (No Contact Order) from the judge regarding the perpetrator and the victim until after the court proceedings.

CYS allowing supervised visitation with mother and kids. Mother founded for abuse and will remain on record until child is 23 years old unless appealed/reversed. The Court continued case until July 20th with 3 Felony and 2 misdemeanor charges pending. The Mother originally confessed to striking the child and now trying to recant. A possible plea bargain with the DA for simple assault but enough forensic and
witness testimony to convict for a 20-45 year prison term. The father is trying to gain placement/custody.

Mother (Shawna Unger, Cambria County PA)- The charges have been modified to (1) First degree felony and (3) Misdemeanors (1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree) with a pending a trial date in April 2011. The DA denied ALL plea bargaining.

Father- Relocated back to PA from MD, Working with CYS and the Court to regain custody, of his 2 sons, The PA Court did not agree with an interstate transfer without 3 months of foster care to work through the process.

The boys are currently residing with their maternal grandmother and doing fine. There has been no side effects to the physical injury suffered in April 2010. The father will regain custody of his children in May 2011 with the help of CYS.

tornheartandsoul wrote:Mother (Shawna Unger, Cambria County PA)- The charges have been modified to (1) First degree felony and (3) Misdemeanors (1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree) with a pending a trial date in April 2011. The DA denied ALL plea bargaining.

Father- Relocated back to PA from MD, Working with CYS and the Court to regain custody, of his 2 sons, The PA Court did not agree with an interstate transfer without 3 months of foster care to work through the process.

The boys are currently residing with their maternal grandmother and doing fine. There has been no side effects to the physical injury suffered in April 2010. The father will regain custody of his children in May 2011 with the help of CYS.

Thank you so much for the update. I'm glad there will be real justice. I hope their father is a decent bloke

*UPDATE 5/10/11* Today, the Prosecution offered a plea bargain for the Aggravated Assault (1st Degree Felony), 1 year plus 364 days in the Ebensburg PA County Jail. If unsigned, the case will be slated for trial seeking a guilty for all 4 charges.

November 16, 2011
Mom pleads guilty to endangering baby

Sandra K Reabuck sreabuck@tribdem.com The Tribune-Democrat Wed Nov 16, 2011, 11:31 PM EST

EBENSBURG — A Johnstown woman pleaded guilty Wednesday in Cambria County court to a felony charge of endangering the welfare of her infant son by violating a duty of care in an abuse incident in which he received head injuries.

Shawna Marie Unger was charged by the Cambria Township police with hitting her son so severely that he received skull fractures and had to be hospitalized.

The mother started to tell Judge Timothy Creany that she was not the one who inflicted the injuries when her statement was cut off by her attorney.

Assistant Public Defender Maribeth Schaffer pointed out to Unger that by her plea she was admitting to the endangerment charge only.

Unger, 20, of the 600 block of Bedford Street, is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 1.

She could be sentenced to jail for three to 12 months or possibly home confinement, the judge said.

Unger has no prior criminal record.