A disturbing incident at the Butler Farm Show has led to the arrest of Gary Fend, Jr., a 45-year-old man from Butler after he allegedly assaulted his three-year-old son. According to WPXI, the alleged assault occurred Friday night and involved Fend slapping the child twice and then pushing him into a stroller with such force that the stroller collapsed.
Witness and farm show vendor Gino Perella recounted, “I looked back, it was almost perfect timing, that’s when he struck the boy across the face and I thought did that really just happen in front of me and froze for a second,” said Perella. “Then turned to my partner to tell him what happened and then I turned around again and saw him strike the kid again with a hard shove”, as detailed by WPXI. Nearby security guards intervened, detaining Fend until state police arrived to make the arrest. The toddler, who was found with red markings on his face and ear, was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital and later released to his mother.
Shelley Bergbigler, the child's mother and Fend's ex-fiancée, shared custody of their son with Fend. She reacted to the incident with shock and dismay, expressing, as per WPXI, “Little man is very special to me. I can’t believe Gary would do this. It’s shocking and sickening to me.” Bergbigler has since filed for a protection from abuse order against Fend, who was not at home when sheriff deputies arrived to serve it. Despite posting bail, Fend now faces charges including endangering the welfare of a child.
Additional details provided by WTAE include Fend's current holding in the Butler County Jail following the incident.
