NEW BRITAIN, PA — The Central Bucks Regional Police Department has issued an arrest warrant for a Philadelphia man accused of assaulting a juvenile under his care at a behavioral health facility in Bucks County.
Authorities identified the suspect as 35-year-old Dwayne Shepherd Jr., a staff member at Foundations Behavioral Health. Police allege that Shepherd was captured on surveillance video forcibly removing a calm, care-dependent juvenile from a common area before placing the youth’s hand in a gooseneck hold and escorting them to a bedroom.
According to investigators, the video later shows Shepherd allegedly pushing the juvenile back into the room when the youth attempted to leave. When the juvenile exited a short time later, visible red marks were reportedly observed on their upper back and near the base of the neck—marks that were not present before the encounter.
Police have charged Shepherd with aggravated assault, simple assault, abuse of a care-dependent person, and harassment.
Authorities described Shepherd as a Black male, approximately six feet tall and weighing around 275 pounds. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Central Bucks Regional Police Department at 215-345-4143.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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