UD mother arrested for child abuse, denied visitation rights

By Thomas Celona

An Upper Dublin woman has been arrested for allegedly abusing her 4-year-old adopted daughter, and the court has denied her visitation rights as she awaits trial.

Theresa McNulty, 51, of the 600 block of Loch Alsh Avenue, Ambler, was arrested Feb. 4 on charges of endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person and simple assault.

The charges stem from an incident in February 2009 in which abuse was first suspected and numerous reports of alleged abuse dating back to April 2008.

McNulty brought her daughter, then 3, to the emergency room of Chestnut Hill Hospital Feb. 23, 2009, according to the criminal complaint filed by Upper Dublin police Detective Mike Scarpato Feb. 3.

The child had burns on her body, which occurred the previous day during a bath, and McNulty said the child had rinsed her hair under the scalding bath water, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Physicians also observed bruises on the child's body, which McNulty attributed to a fall down the stairs at their home five days prior, according to the affidavit.

Based on the severity of the burns and the bruises, the child was then transported to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children for treatment. A doctor at St. Christopher's reported to police the mother's over 24-hour delay in seeking treatment for the child's burns was a concern and put the child at risk for infection, according to the affidavit.

During the investigation, police spoke with day care employees, family members, doctors and representatives from children and youth services, many of whom reported observing numerous injuries and bruises on the child beginning in April 2008 and continuing through November 2009, according to the affidavit.

McNulty adopted the child from Russia in December 2007.

Additionally, interviews with family members and day care employees revealed McNulty had given differing account for how the injuries occurred. They also said her parenting was "very concerning and unkind," according to the affidavit.

McNulty was arraigned Feb. 4, and bail was set at $25,000 unsecured, according to court documents.

After her bail was posted, McNulty was allowed to have supervised visits with her daughter until Feb. 12, when a judge prohibited contact.

Assistant District Attorney Samantha Cauffman requested denying visitation, saying the visits could endanger both the child's physical and mental well-being. Additionally, authorities said McNulty could influence her daughter not to speak with investigators during the visits.

McNulty now awaits a preliminary hearing before District Judge Patricia Zaffarano set for March 16.