Police: Battered 5-month-old, 1-year-old left alone in Manchester apartment; Parents charged

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Authorities arrested two parents accused of leaving their two children under 2 years old alone in their apartment for over an hour.

18-year-old Megan Bancroft and 21-year-old Justice Forsythe are charged with second-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Bancroft was also charged with possession of a prescription drug.

Officers responding to 345 Lake Avenue around 10:45 a.m. for a report of two children left unattended found a 5-month-old strapped in an infant swinging bed and a 1-year-old on the kitchen floor, according to Manchester Police. Investigators say both babies were unclothed and had visible bruises and marks on their bodies.

Both children were taken to an area hospital for evaluation. The infant’s injuries were reportedly found to be serious and they were transported to a Boston hospital for further treatment.

According to police, the apartment was in disarray with numerous household liquids, such as cooking oils and cleaning agents, on the floor, easily accessible to the children. A heat lamp was also allegedly turned on with a cord hanging to the side.

Bancroft and Forsythe arrived at the apartment shortly thereafter. Police confirm that Bancroft is the mother of both children and Forsythe is the baby’s father.

Both parents will be arraigned. No further information was immediately available.

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