TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A Tacoma-area man accused of beating two of his girlfriend’s young children has pleaded not guilty to two child assault charges.
Bail for 28-year-old Stepan Perebeynos was set Monday at $1 million in Pierce County court.
The man was arrested last week at a Fircrest apartment after he called 911 to report that an 18-month-old boy wouldn’t wake up. Authorities have said Perebeynos had been watching that boy, a 3-year-old boy and their 6-year-old sister while the children’s mother was receiving medical treatment.
The 18-month-old was taken to a Tacoma hospital with severe face and body bruising, his eyes swollen shut.
The News Tribune says one of Perebeynos’ relatives later brought the 3-year-old boy to the hospital, where the older child was diagnosed with a broken arm, a broken tooth and severe bruising.
The girl was found safe at school.