JERSEY SHORE - A 22-year-old father has been jailed on charges of allegedly threatening to kill his girlfriend and abandon their 7-month-old daughter in a car during a disturbance at the family's home on Burke Street late Tuesday night, according to the Tiadaghton Valley Regional police.
Travis Lee Beck, of 509 Smith St., has been charged with terroristic threats, endangering the welfare of a child and simple assault. Following his arraignment before District Gary A. Whiteman, he was committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Police said their investigation began early Wednesday morning when they were called to the Jersey Shore Hospital emergency room, where Beck was being treated "for a possible overdose."
"He had been flipping out and acting very strange," an officer wrote in an affidavit.
Police learned that Beck allegedly had assaulted his girlfriend, Joanna Burgin, so an officer went to interview the woman at a friend's home.
Burgin told police that Beck told her that he "was Zeus and that Travis was dead," referring to himself.
He also told Burgin that their baby "belonged to the devil," police said.
Burgin said Beck allegedly assaulted her about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday by pinning her on the floor, choking her and biting her.
Beck also allegedly told the woman she had "10 minutes to get out or he would kill her," police said.
She fled the house to get help from a friend.
When she soon returned, she discovered that Beck had put their daughter in their car and abandoned her, police said.
Beck was taken into custody upon being discharged from the hospital.
