A 37-year-old Rochester woman is facing felony assault charges after police say her 2-year-old child was found unconscious early Wednesday with a severe brain injury, bruising and bite marks consistent with physical abuse. Felicia Guy called 911 around 1:30 a.m. to report that her toddler was unconscious and breathing abnormally, telling first responders the child had hit his head about 20 minutes earlier.
Medical personnel transported the unconscious child to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition, according to Rochester police. As reported by 13WHAM, investigators say the 2-year-old had multiple injuries indicative of physical abuse, including a severe traumatic brain injury, subdural hemorrhaging, significant facial bruising and swelling, and skin injuries along with adult-sized bite marks.
Police also found Guy's 1-year-old daughter inside the home at the time of the 911 call. According to the same report, the infant had injuries indicative of physical abuse as well, including numerous bruises and abrasions on her face, lips, back and legs, plus approximately nine adult-sized bite marks.
Charges and the Path to a Grand Jury
Guy was charged with assault in the first and second degree, the outlet notes. Under New York Penal Law § 120.10, Assault in the First Degree is a Class B violent felony carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 25 years in state prison, according to New York State law. Assault in the Second Degree under Penal Law § 120.05 is a Class D violent felony carrying two to seven years in state prison, per Tilem & Associates.
Per police, a Monroe County grand jury may consider additional charges against Guy. Under New York Criminal Procedure Law Article 190, felony assault cases must be presented to a grand jury to secure an indictment before a case can proceed to trial in Supreme Court, per the state's own criminal procedure statute. Guy was set to be arraigned later Thursday morning, the station's report states.
A County Already Grappling With Child Maltreatment
The case lands in a county that child welfare data describes as facing an unusually severe problem. Between 2010 and 2022, children in Monroe County died from maltreatment-related causes at 4.1 times the national per capita rate and double the New York State average, according to a New York State Senate report. That same report cites Monroe County Child Fatality Review Team data showing 52% of local child fatalities stem from severe physical neglect or lack of supervision, while 5% result directly from intentional physical abuse.
Monroe County Child Protective Services investigated 8,666 reports of suspected child abuse or neglect in 2024, with roughly 22% of cases substantiated and 76% determined to be unfounded, according to Do Right by Kids. Those reports are first processed by the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment in Albany before being transmitted to local investigators, the organization notes.
A joint study published in November by HOPE585 and The Children's Agenda found Monroe County spent approximately $11.5 million in public funds in 2024 conducting CPS investigations alone. New York State overall experiences more than 300 child maltreatment-related fatalities each year, representing over 12% of all such deaths reported nationwide, according to the state senate report.
The University of Rochester's Mt. Hope Family Center, one of only three NIH-funded child abuse prevention research centers in the country, operates home visitation support programs in partnership with Monroe County Department of Human Services, per the same senate report. The current medical status beyond critical condition, the outcome of Guy's arraignment, and any prior contact between the family and Child Protective Services remain unknown.
