A Toledo man faces felony charges after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend’s 3-year-old child.
Dylan S. Hirsch, 30, is charged with one count of third-degree assault, domestic violence, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Hirsch was booked into the Lewis County Jail on Sept. 11. He made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday.
Deputy Prosecutor Brandi Archer asked the court to keep bail at the $100,000 amount set over the weekend.
“The bruises on this 3-year-old are very concerning,” Archer said.
Defense attorney Rachael Tiller requested a bail of no more than $10,000, citing Hirsch’s lack of criminal history. She said a protection order should allay any safety concern.
Judge Paul Strophy acknowledged the defendant’s lack of prior history and settled at $25,000 cash or bond, which he said should be more than enough to ensure Hirsch understood the “gravity of the situation.”
The judge granted a domestic violence protection order on behalf of the alleged victim and authorized a civil standby. The standby allows Hirsch to gather his belongings at the victim’s home while under the supervision of law enforcement.
As part of his conditions of release, Hirsch is prohibited from having contact with minor children or frequenting locations where children are known to congregate.
According to a probable cause affidavit, a Chehalis police sergeant began investigating on Sept. 11 when he arrived at the child’s home alongside a Child Protective Services (CPS) employee.
CPS had received a report of possible abuse from a teacher who’d noticed bruising on the child. The sergeant reportedly saw several bruises that were not typical of children that age.
During the investigation, the child’s mother alleged Hirsch had thrown the child into a couch, “despite there being wooden planks on the couch,” according to the affidavit.
Hirsch also allegedly threw golf balls at the child and threatened to “snap the children's necks while yelling at them.”
The sergeant saw several golf balls on the floor and noted some of the child’s injuries appeared circular in shape.
Police interviewed a roommate, who reported seeing Hirsch throw the child onto the couch.
Hirsch is scheduled for an arraignment on Thursday.
