Scranton man pleads guilty to endangering child

WILKES-BARRE — A man charged by Kingston police in January on allegations he intentionally burned a child with a lighter pled guilty to an endangerment charge Thursday.

Raheam Levon Patterson, 31, of Scranton, pled guilty to child endangerment as prosecutors withdrew charges of aggravated assault and simple assault before Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough.

Police investigated a Child Line report alleging Patterson intentionally burned a 5-year-old boy on the neck with a lighter inside a residence on Northampton Street, Kingston.

The child was questioned by a forensic interviewer at the Luzerne County Children’s Advocacy Center in Wilkes-Barre.

During the interview, the child claimed Patterson gave him a “boo-boo” with a lighter on his neck and arms because he was a bad kid and failed to perform work, according to court records.

A medical examination of the child revealed numerous injuries in various stages of healing over most of his body, including his neck, torso, back, both arms, buttocks and legs.

Patterson is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 10.