A Tennessee man is accused using a shower head to assault a nonverbal child with autism in Concord Township.

Marlin Bailey, 50, of Manchester, Tennessee, was charged Wednesday, May 27, by state police with one misdemeanor count each of child endangerment and simple assault following an incident in August.

Police said the alleged assault occurred Aug. 21. However, police weren’t alerted until a ChildLine report filed Dec. 23 referenced the incident. Police said a mother accused Bailey of hitting her son with a shower head while she was at work.

The incident left bruising on the child’s lower back and butt, police said.

Bailey initially said he hit the child with his hand, but it came out during an argument months later Bailey hit him with a shower head, according to police.

Police later spoke with the child’s father who said he noticed bruising on his son the day after the incident.

Bailey’s preliminary hearing has yet to be scheduled.