Lexington County Sheriff James Metts says 33-year-old Jason Daniel Sightler of Gaston was arrested Monday on a charge of inflicting great bodily injury upon a child.
/ LCSD
LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC (WACH) - A man accused of throwing a 17-month-old child across a room could face 20 years in prison if convicted.
Lexington County Sheriff James Metts says 33-year-old Jason Daniel Sightler of Gaston was arrested Monday on a charge of inflicting great bodily injury upon a child.
Metts says the arrest warrant states Sightler threw the child across a room at his home around 5 p.m. on Sept. 26, causing the 17-month-old boy to lose consciousness.
Sightler is accused of then placing the boy in a bathtub in order to try to force the child to regain consciousness before picking the boy up and shaking him forcibly several times, causing the boy's eyes to roll back into his head and resulting in seizure-like convulsions, according to Metts.
Authorities say the child was taken to a hospital, where a doctor determined he suffered a subdural hematoma and retinal hemorrhaging. The doctor also determined the injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma that was intentionally inflicted upon the boy.
Metts says Sightler was temporarily caring for the boy to assist the boy's mother, but he was not being paid.
The 17-month-old boy received medical treatment at a hospital and later was released, Metts said. The boy currently is living with relatives and not his mother.
Sightler is being held at the Lexington County jail on a $75,000 bond.
Anyone with information about additional instances in which Sightler interacted improperly with children is asked to contact CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
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