Police, detectives investigating abuse of New Kensington 2-year-old

A New Kensington man is accused of assaulting a 2-year-old child who police said had to undergo “life-saving measures” after being taken to a Pittsburgh hospital last month.

City police and Westmoreland County detectives have been investigating since March 26, when police and paramedics were called to the 1100 block of Fifth Avenue around 1 a.m. about an unresponsive child.

The child was taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital for “life-saving measures” and was being treated in the pediatric intensive care unit, police said in a news release.

Keith Dale Lilly Jr., 31, was arrested in connection with the incident about a week later.

“The investigation is ongoing and additional information may be released in the future,” police said in the release.

Online court records show Lilly is charged with two counts of aggravated assault and single counts of child endangerment and reckless endangerment. He was taken to Westmoreland County Prison after failing to post $250,000 bail.

Court records did not list an attorney for Lilly. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 7, police said.

Lilly was on probation after pleading guilty in December to charges of aggravated assault, strangulation and making terroristic threats in connection with a 2018 case filed by Arnold police, court records show.

Anyone with information about the alleged incident in New Kensington or what led up to it is asked to call New Kensington police at 724-339-7533 or Westmoreland County detectives at 724-830-3949.