A Jersey Shore woman will face eight counts each of endangering the welfare of a child and simple assault, District Judge Denise Dieter ruled, while dismissing an additional three counts of each, following a preliminary hearing Friday.

Jeanette Nicole Hunsberger, 24, of 4897 Queneshaque Road, Jersey Shore, is accused of physically abusing a five-year-old non-verbal autistic foster child in her care from November 2022 to October 2023.

The alleged abuse came to the attention of police on Oct. 5, 2023, by way of a childline report that included a photo of an adult-sized hand print on the child’s thigh, according to state trooper Matthew Miller, who testified at the hearing.

Hunsberger explained she was attempting to reprimand the child for playing in the toilet with a slap on the hand, but had missed, striking her leg.

The handprint was described by Miller as “raised, almost welted” and containing the outline of at least three fingers.

However, this was not the first case of suspicious injuries appearing on the alleged minor victim.

According to Miller, the child’s biological parents became concerned that abuse may be taking place after bruising was found “quite often” on the minor.

Testing was carried out to determine whether she had any conditions that would facilitate easy bruising. Those tests were negative for any such conditions.

Due to the volume of injuries being sustained, Lycoming County Children and Youth Services directed Hunsberger to report all bruises appearing on the child, along with explanations as to how they occurred, Miller testified.

Nine photos were submitted between Dec. 15, 2022 and Oct. 3, 2023, each displaying multiple bruises throughout the child’s body. Hunsberger called all but one of the injuries the result of an active child.

Those photos and a Sept. 5, 2023 emergency room visit during which the child was evaluated for a large hematoma on her head were reviewed by Dr. Kathryn R. Crowell, pediatrician at Penn State Children’s Hospital and a member of their child protection team.

In a report submitted by Assistant District Attorney Phoebe Yates, Crowell found the injuries to be “highly suggestive of child physical abuse,” Miller said.

However, defense attorney Leonard M. Gryskewicz Jr. argued that there were no eyewitnesses that could pin the cause of the injuries on Hunsberger, stressing that prosecutors have no proof as to who or what caused the bruising on the child.

Additionally, none of the minor child’s teachers, nor her Bayada nurse had reported any signs of abuse as they’re required to do as mandated reporters, Gryskewicz said.

Further, Lycoming County Children and Youth accepted all of Hunsberger’s explanations for the injuries, Gryskewicz argued, as did Dr. Pat Bruno, pediatrician and medical director of the Child Advocacy Center of the Central Susquehanna Valley.

Gryskewicz also stressed that corporal punishment is legal in the state, though that argument was objected to by Yates, who said it delves into defense of conduct, which is not appropriate for a preliminary hearing.

Much of the hearing centered on objections by Gryskewicz to the admission of Crowell’s report with the doctor not in attendance, arguing that the admittance in her absence would amount to hearsay.

Lycoming County District Attorney Tom Marino countered that not only is a certain amount of hearsay admissible at the preliminary hearing level, but that Crowell would be available to testify should the case head to trial, at which point, there would be ample time for cross examination.

Further, Marino stressed that Gryskewicz had objected to his request to allow Crowell to testify via Zoom. The objection was previously overruled by Dieter, however Marino stressed that he almost never brings in doctors or other witnesses from far distances for a preliminary hearing because evidence can be entered by other means at that phase.

Gryskewicz would later challenge the report on the basis that Crowell had not been qualified as an expert witness, arguing that there was no presentation of her methodology or resume.

Though Marino expressed his belief that Crowell’s employment with the hospital was evidence enough, he also stressed that there is no need to qualify a witness as an expert for the purposes of a preliminary hearing.

Dieter ruled in favor of Marino, and at the close of the hearing dismissed only the counts not included in Crowell’s report.

No trial date has been set yet as Hunsberger remains free on $50,000 bail.