tag | Lebanon County

Child abuse reports dropped across Pennsylvania last year, raising concerns from child welfare professionals that the COVID-19 pandemic isolated children from the school employees, healthcare providers, and other community members who are legally required to report suspected abuse. Lebanon County, where two high-profile child abuse investigations came to light in the last year, has seen a different trend since the beginning of the school year.

The North Cornwall Township board of supervisors said chief John Leahy had “voluntarily elected to resign his employment.” Leahy had been placed on administrative leave with pay Feb. 20 as the township investigated Officer Joseph Fischer’s arrest by the FBI.

Kenelm Shirk III, 71, of Lebanon, was indicted Feb. 3 on a charge of threatening to murder a U.S. official. He pleaded not guilty at his initial court appearance and was locked up pending trial. His lawyer said Shirk had no intent to kill anyone.

Sen. Dave Arnold took the oath of office last January to represent the 48th senatorial district, which covers all of Lebanon County and parts of Dauphin and York counties.

Pennsylvania’s top law enforcement leaders say they plan to prosecute anyone from the commonwealth who was involved in the attack.

An Annville couple is facing charges for allegedly neglecting, abusing, and killing a 12-year-old child in their care. The Lebanon County District Attorney announced Scott Schollenberger, 42, and Kimberly Maurer, 37, are in custody and being held without bail.

The lawsuit accuses the governor of a “gross abuse of power” and acting like a “de facto King.”