Tahir Riley. (Credit: Montgomery County District Attorney)
Tahir Marcel Riley, 27, of the 200 block of Concord was released on $100,000 unsecured bail last month.
Pre-trial proceedings are expected to begin this month for a Perkiomen Township father accused of fracturing his infant son’s skull earlier this year.
Tahir Marcel Riley, 21, of Concord Road, was released from county jail Oct. 8 after his original $1 million cash bail was changed to $100,000 unsecured by Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Thomas C. Branca after a bail hearing.
He had been in jail since his April 24 preliminary arraignment in district court on charges of aggravated assault with serious bodily injury, aggravated assault on a victim less than 13, aggravated assault on a victim less than six, and endangering the welfare of children, per court records. Riley is also charged with misdemeanor assault and reckless endangerment of another person.
“We asked the judge to release him from prison. He is not a flight risk or a present danger to the community,” said Allentown defense attorney Benjamin Cooper last month. “He has a lot of family support, employer support, and church support.”
Cooper said his client is on electronic monitoring via an ankle bracelet.
“When he comes to court, he is coming on his own instead of being transported by sheriffs from jail. It doesn’t change the case,” Cooper said.
The mother of the now 9-month-old -- Jayana Tanae Webb, 24 – is sitting in prison for up to 60 years for vehicular homicide of two Pennsylvania State troopers. Cooper believed the infant is in the care of Webb’s mother.
The investigation into Riley's alleged abuse of his son began following concerns raised by medical professionals at Pediatric Medical Associates on West Germantown Pike in East Norriton Township.
The infant, who appeared healthy during a checkup on April 15, exhibited signs of trauma during a subsequent visit four days later, including severe swelling and bruising to his head and face, according to the report. The baby’s head was swollen and the left side of the face was bruised and discolored from the left ear to the left eye, down the jaw, and on the right side of the face, police said.
Riley, accompanied by a relative, took the child to the medical facility, where suspicions of abuse were reported to the authorities.
Upon questioning by police, Riley allegedly provided inconsistent explanations for the injuries sustained by his son, according to The Mercury. He initially claimed ignorance regarding the cause, police said, but later admitted to actions that could have inadvertently harmed the child, citing stress, lack of sleep, and frustration.
Medical experts at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia confirmed that the injuries were consistent with physical abuse rather than accidental trauma, per the article.
Family members corroborated Riley's account of caring for the infant and attested to the absence of visible injuries prior to the incident. Riley watched the infant on the night of April 18, according to authorities. However, one relative discovered the child's injuries on the morning of April 19 in the basement, prompting immediate action to seek medical attention, officials said.
At first, Riley claimed he watched the baby until he got fussy and gave him a bottle and put him in a bassinet. Then, he claimed to feed the baby again at 3 a.m., and the baby woke at 7 a.m., police said. Then, Riley told police he placed his son in a swing seat until the baby fell asleep again.
During a later interview, Riley said he picked up the baby too hard when he grabbed him, according to charging documents. Riley's subsequent admissions to police, coupled with medical findings, led to the conclusion that the child had suffered abuse while under his care, investigators said.
Per the report, CHOP concluded the child had “inflicted trauma/child physical abuse” injuries.
The case added another layer of tragedy to a family already grappling with the consequences of a devastating event in the wake of Webb’s crime and prosecution. She is currently serving a 27 ½ to 60 years in prison for her involvement in a fatal accident.
Webb was convicted of third-degree murder, vehicular homicide, and DUI charges following a crash on I-95 in Philadelphia in March 2022. The collision resulted in the deaths of two Pennsylvania State troopers, Branden T. Sisca and Martin F. Mack III, along with another individual.
Both troopers were esteemed members of their communities, with Sisca having served as the chief of the Trappe Fire Company and Mack being a distinguished graduate of Monsignor Bonner High School and Albright College, per the report.
Webb, who was seven months pregnant at the time of her sentencing in November 2023, was permitted to remain out of custody until she gave birth to her son, whom she shares with Riley, according to The Mercury.
However, she surrendered to authorities on March 15, 2024, to commence her prison term, per the report.
The case is being overseen by Common Pleas Judge Steven T. O'Neill.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
