Teens charged for assaulting toddler with history of seizures

Three Connellsville-area teens are facing felony charges after they allegedly brandished handguns last week to demand a ride from a 22-year-old man, then assaulted his 4-year-old passenger who suffers from epileptic seizures.

The teenagers, whom Connellsville police have charged as adults, also are accused of stealing Halloween masks and makeup items from a Family Dollar store on Oct. 27 in what was described during testimony Thursday as a plot to rob the business.

Police filed charges against Seth R. Fisher, 15, of 235 E. Fairview Ave., Connellsville; Christopher Faith, 16, of 101 Tanyard Hollow Road, Bullskin Township; and Ryan S. Miller, 16, of 1200 Race St., Connellsville.

Each was charged with robbery, aggravated assault, kidnapping, recklessly endangering another person, terroristic threats, simple assault, harassment, retail theft and criminal conspiracy.

After a preliminary hearing yesterday, District Judge Ronald Haggerty Sr., of Connellsville, held Faith and Miller for trial on all of the charges. Fisher's hearing hasn't been scheduled.

According to the testimony, Fisher, Faith and Miller approached Malone and his 22-year-old friend, Dale Naugle, outside Rush's convenience store on North Pittsburgh Street at about 5:30 p.m.
Naugle said the boys ripped off his coat and hat and refused to return them until he gave them a ride to the Family Dollar off Route 119.

After he declined, Naugle said, Fisher and Faith pulled guns on him and Fisher threatened to shoot him. Miller didn't display a weapon, according to testimony.

"I was scared, really scared," Naugle testified. "I was nervous."

Inside Naugle's four-door Oldsmobile, Fisher and Faith kept their guns on Naugle and Malone.
During the drive, Naugle said, Fisher "cracked" him on the back of the head with a gun.

Malone also said he had a gun put against his neck during the ordeal.

After Naugle pulled up to the store, one of the boys hit Malone's head against the passenger door window, Malone testified.

Once the boys went into the store, Naugle went home and called police, who found the defendants in the 200 block of South Prospect Street within minutes of the report.

Each of the boys was questioned with a parent present and agreed to give a written statement that implicated all three in various aspects of the incident.

Miller and Fisher are free on $25,000 bond, while Faith is being held on that amount at the Fayette County Prison.

Malone's mother, Missy Showman, said her family hasn't been able to get much sleep since the incident, but she's proud of the courage Malone showed in talking with police and testifying.

"He's my hero in my eyes and he became a man in an instant," she said.

Besides the stress of the holdup, Malone suffered a couple of seizures in the past week.

"I just think about what could have happened," Showman said. "They could have killed my kid."