Fulton Township man charged with throwing child, breaking their arm has case proceed to county court

A Fulton Township man charged with violently throwing a five-year-old girl onto a bed, breaking her arm, will have his case proceed to county court following a preliminary hearing last week.

Judge William Mankin ruled Aug. 12 that the case of Edward Cummings, 40, could proceed to the Court of Common Pleas on charges of aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children.

Cummings, 40, is accused of picking up and violently throwing the victim onto a bed in his residence in the 300 block of Black Barren Road, fracturing her arm, in December 2024.

The victim was taken to a hospital the next day after complaining of pain in her arm and was told by doctors that her elbow was broken and required a cast.

Two eyewitnesses to the incident and the victim herself told police the girl’s mother was trying to get her to go to sleep when Cummings angrily picked her up and threw her onto the bed. Cummings had become upset at the victim when she began playing with a cat and dog instead of going to sleep, one of the victims said.

At the time, the victim’s mother told doctors the girl had suffered the injury as a result of a fall, telling police she feared Cummings’ potentially violent response at the time. The victim’s mother has since obtained a protection from abuse order against Cummings.

Cummings remains in Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $2 million bail after Judge Mankin denied his attorney’s request to reduce his bail to $200,000.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Edward Zema filed the charges.

Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo will prosecute the case.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.