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A Carmel man has been charged with beating a 3-year-old boy in his home last month after he allegedly told the boy to “fight like you’ve never fought before” and then tell his mother they were playing.
Damion Myers, 23, is charged with one count each of aggravated domestic violence assault, a Class B crime; assault on a child less than six years old, a Class C crime; and domestic violence reckless conduct, a Class D crime.
Myers was arrested Wednesday and taken to the Penobscot County Jail. He made his first court appearance remotely Thursday at the Penobscot Judicial Center in Bangor.
Superior Court Justice Ann Murray set bail at $75,000 cash with conditions that Myers have no contact with the boy, his mother or minors under the age of 18.
The judge did not ask Myers to enter pleas to the charges, as he has not yet been indicted by the Penobscot County grand jury.
He is next due in court on April 5.
The Jan. 3 beating was captured on a home security system, according to the Penobscot County District Attorney’s office. The video captured Myers “fighting” with the child,” Assistant District Attorney Chelsea Lynds told the judge.
“Mr. Myers told [the boy], ‘I want you to fight like you’ve never fought before,’” Lynds said.
The video allegedly shows the boy asking to stop the fight and saying he was hurt. Myers also coached the boy to tell his mother that they had been “playing,” Lynds said.
She did not say if the child suffered any broken bones.
The investigation that led to the charges began on Jan. 4 when the boy’s mother took him to St. Joseph Hospital because he had many bruises and contusions in various stages of healing, Lynds said. The hospital reported the suspected abuse to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
In a separate incident, Myers is charged with domestic violence assault, a Class D crime, in connection with a Feb. 21 incident in Carmel involving the child’s mother.
Myers’ defense attorney, Jeffrey Toothaker of Ellsworth, declined Friday to comment on the case.
If convicted, Myers faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $20,000 on the most serious charge of aggravated domestic violence assault. He faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 if convicted of the Class C assault.
On the Class D charges, Myers faces up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.