By Chuck Biedka

Published: Thursday, January 17, 2013, 12:06 a.m.
Updated: Tuesday, February 19, 2013

A 20-year-old man accused of violently squeezing his 6-week-old son in Arnold and causing injuries that stopped the baby's breathing was sent to the Westmoreland County jail on Wednesday in lieu of bond pending a hearing.

Ronald Duane Cinkan was arrested Wednesday morning in his parents' residence at Johnson Street, Belle Vernon. He was arraigned by New Kensington District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. on charges of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and recklessly endangering another person.

Pallone ordered him held in lieu of $50,000 pending a Jan. 31 preliminary hearing.

Police said the alleged assault happened late on Jan. 6 inside 1536 Fourth Ave., Arnold.Arnold police and county detectives allege that the infant, Isaiah Cinkan, was taken to the hospital early on Jan. 7, a day after the alleged assault.

Officer Marcia Cole's affidavit reports that Dr. Janet E. Squires found the boy had a skull fracture, about 20 to 22 rib fractures, and possible spine fractures.

Squires wrote that the baby was critically injured and “this is an unequivocal case of child abuse.”

In the affidavit, the baby's mother told police that the boy was fussy and, when she went downstairs to get a bottle, she left the baby in a swing seat.

She said she returned to find Cinkan holding the baby to his chest and squeezing the victim hard.The affidavit said the baby “stopped crying and went limp and was not breathing.”

It also alleges that Cinkan admitted to doing the same type of thing about three weeks earlier.

Chuck Biedka is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-226-4711 or cbiedka@tribweb.com.

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