A Salisbury Township man will serve up to 20 years in prison for beating his two infant daughters last year, causing broken bones and brain injury.
Joshua B. Whisler, 24, pleaded guilty in December to multiple counts of aggravated assault of a child and related charges regarding beatings of the then-3-month-old girls in March 2016.
On Friday, Lancaster County Senior Judge Joseph Madenspacher ordered Whisler serve 5 ½ to 20 years in prison.
Whisler also must pay $68,291 in restitution for the victims’ medical care. He is banned from having contact with the girls, unless they and their mother request contact be permitted.
The girl’s mother spoke in court of the difficult recovery process for her daughters and how she feels Whisler needs to be punished for what he did.
Whisler “admitted to losing his temper with the two babies” when the abuse happened at a home in the 5400 block of Schlack Drive, police reported.
Assistant District Attorney Karen Mansfield asked Judge Madenspacher to consider both victims while deciding the sentence.
Staff at Children’s Hospital at Philadelphia contacted state police on March 18, 2016, about one of the girls who had sustained a brain hemorrhage and broken ribs. The child was seizing when admitted to the hospital.
A day later, the other twin was admitted at the hospital for a broken left leg.
Whisler told police he was caring for the girls when they were injured. The girls’ mother was at work.
Whisler told police he abused the girls, including slamming them both on a changing table.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Todd McCurdy filed charges.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright