New child abuse charges against man sentenced for infant's death

Gabrielle Bienasz, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
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Jun. 15—A Monrovia man was arrested on Wednesday on child abuse charges, according to Maryland State Police — 10 months after he was sentenced in connection with the death of his infant daughter.

Jason Michael Colley, 43, of Frederick, was charged with two counts of second-degree child abuse, one count of neglect of a minor, and two counts of second-degree assault, according to charging documents.

Colley was ordered in August to serve eight years of home detention and five years of supervised probation for the death of his 6-month-old daughter.

Colley entered an Alford plea on two counts of first-degree assault in that case.

In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but acknowledges the prosecution has enough evidence for a likely verdict of guilt.

Colley was arrested on Wednesday after Maryland State Police and Frederick County's Department of Social Services, Child Protective Services, worked on a preliminary investigation, according to the release.

State police Cpl. Cory Mills was contacted by a social worker with Frederick County DSS in Child Protective Services on Tuesday about a child abuse case, according to charging documents.

The social worker told Mills on Tuesday about meeting the child at a day care and seeing that the child's right and left arms were bruised, according to charging documents.

Based on information from the social worker, Mills on Wednesday spoke with the State's Attorney's Office, which supported criminal charges against Colley, according to charging documents.

Another social worker and Mills went to the child's day care on Wednesday and took the child to a hospital, charging documents say.

Colley was being held without bail, according to state police. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records on Thursday.

State police said investigators do not think any other children are in danger or injured.

In the prior case, the State's Attorney's Office pushed for a sentence of eight to 18 years in prison, while the defense advocated for home detention.

Frederick County Circuit Court Judge Julia A. Martz-Fisher sentenced Colley to 50 years in prison, suspending 42 years, leaving eight years for him to serve on home detention.