Mitchell Wentz has been in Pike County Prison for 50 days; DA said rapid response “in all likelihood saved this infant’s life”

MILFORD, PIKE COUNTY — The Milford man accused of biting his 8-week-old son’s cheek while the child’s mother walked the family dog waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday and will now face trial in Pike County Court of Common Pleas.

Mitchell Edward Wentz, 34, has been locked up in Pike County Prison since Thursday, October 30, 2025 — 50 days on $250,000 bail he hasn’t posted.

According to the criminal complaint, Wentz bit the infant’s cheek, scratched the child, and shoved a pacifier into the baby’s mouth on Monday, September 1, 2025. The attack happened in the family’s Milford Borough apartment while the mother was outside.

Chief County Detective Molly Carson responded to a Childline report and observed photos and video of the child’s injuries. When Wentz returned to the apartment, Carson and Pike County Sheriff’s deputies arrested him.

“The rapid joint response in this case in all likelihood saved this infant’s life and definitely saved him from further abuse,” District Attorney Raymond J. Tonkin said at the time. “My office is fully committed to prosecuting child abusers.”

Two Continuances, Then a Waiver

Wentz’s path to trial took nearly two months. His preliminary hearing was originally set for Tuesday, November 4, 2025, before Magisterial District Judge Ashley G. Zimmerman — the same judge who arraigned him at 10:00 p.m. the night of his arrest and set the quarter-million-dollar bail.

That hearing was continued to Tuesday, November 18. Continued again. Finally, on Wednesday, December 17, Wentz appeared before Magisterial District Judge Cristin J. Cavallaro and waived.

Both charges — first-degree felony endangering the welfare of children and second-degree felony aggravated assault on a child under six — were bound over to Common Pleas. The case is now docketed as CP-52-CR-0000494-2025.

Public defenders Justin Eugene Pfaff and James Robert Elliott are representing Wentz. The Pike County District Attorney’s Office will file formal charges and schedule arraignment.

What He Faces

The endangering charge is graded as a first-degree felony — up to 20 years — because the offense was allegedly committed by a parent through a course of conduct. The aggravated assault charge carries up to 10 years; it’s automatically a second-degree felony when the victim is under six and the defendant is an adult.

Combined maximum: 30 years in state prison.

Wentz remains in Pike County Prison.

DEFENDANT:

• Mitchell Edward Wentz, 34, of Milford
• DOB: March 7, 1991
• White male, 6’0″, 170 lbs, brown hair, brown eyes

CHARGES:

• Endangering Welfare of Children — Parent/Guardian/Other (F1) — up to 20 years
• Aggravated Assault — Victim Less Than 6 (F2) — up to 10 years

CASE:

• Common Pleas: CP-52-CR-0000494-2025
• MDJ: MJ-60301-CR-0000144-2025
• OTN: O 1015603-1

TIMELINE:

• September 1, 2025 — Offense
• October 30, 2025 — Arrest, arraignment, $250K bail set
• November 4, 2025 — Hearing continued
• November 18, 2025 — Hearing continued
• December 17, 2025 — Hearing waived, case transferred to Common Pleas

BAIL: $250,000 monetary — not posted

CONFINED: Pike County Prison (50 days)

ATTORNEYS:

• Defense: Justin Eugene Pfaff / James Robert Elliott (Pike County Public Defender)
• Prosecution: Pike County District Attorney’s Office

INVESTIGATING AGENCY: Pike County DA Criminal Investigation Division (Chief Detective Molly Carson)

To report child abuse, call Childline at 1-800-932-0313.

Wentz is presumed innocent until proven guilty.