A Butler man has been charged with a felony count of endangering the welfare of children after a woman reported finding multiple abrasions on her 1-year-old daughter’s neck after leaving her home with the girl’s father.

Butler police filed the charge against Joshua D. Davis, 23, of Butler, on Friday, March 13. He was released on nonmonetary bail.

According to an affidavit, police received a ChildLine report on Feb. 19 through the district attorney’s office stating the girl’s mother left her with Davis for about four hours and found multiple large, red abrasions on her neck when she returned.

The girl’s mother took her to a hospital Feb. 25 when a doctor said the bruising was diagnostic of physical abuse, according to the affidavit.

During a March 11 interview with police and Children and Youth Services officials, the woman said Davis sent her a text about 20 minutes after she left the house saying the girl wouldn’t stop fussing and “I’m not going to be able to do this (expletive) long.” In the next text, he said the girl had finally passed out, according to the affidavit.

When she got home she noticed the red marks on the girl’s neck and asked Davis what had happened. She said Davis claimed to have no knowledge about the abrasions, but said he might have scratched her while throwing her in the air. She also told police she tried to check on the girl, but the baby monitor had been disconnected, according to the affidavit.

When Davis was interviewed March 13, he said he drank a beer, a shot of vodka and an alcoholic seltzer before the woman asked him to watch his daughter, and then drank liqueur and coffee mixed drink after the woman left. He admitted to being drunk, according to the affidavit.

According to police, he said he pulled a scarf off the girl’s neck, but might have misjudged how hard he pulled it because the girl began “freaking out” and crying like she was in pain. He admitted to being stressed over the girl’s crying and fussing, and said he left the room to regain his composure. He said he picked her up and tossed her from arm to arm to try to get her to stop crying. He said he unplugged the monitor to use the cord to charge his phone. Police said he took responsibility for his actions, according to the affidavit.