A mother concerned for her baby's safety called 911 Friday, telling Butler Township police that a Butler man refused to give her child back.

The incident ended with the 24-year-old man in jail, charged with resisting arrest.

Nicholas W. Gentry was charged with felony aggravated assault as well as misdemeanors of simple assault, resisting arrest and obstructing law enforcement, stemming from the disturbance call early Friday morning.

Following his arraignment by District Judge Kevin O'Donnell, Gentry was placed in Butler County Prison on $25,000 bond.

Police were dispatched around 2:20 a.m. Friday to an apartment in the Forest Heights complex in Butler Township.

“I made contact with a female, who stated Gentry came home around 2 p.m. drunk,” said the investigating officer. “(She) advised that Gentry took the baby and would not allow her to have the baby back.”

According to police, when officers entered the apartment, they found Gentry in the back bedroom holding the 6-month-old girl. Police said Gentry cursed at the officers and told them to leave.

“Gentry did give the baby to (the mother), who was in the other room gathering her things to leave,” police said.

According to police, Gentry claimed not to be drunk, despite slurring his words, and he continued to be aggressive with police even after giving the child back to her mother. The situation escalated as the mother then tried to the leave the home with police still talking to Gentry.

“At this time, Gentry tried to push past officers,” police said. “Gentry stated that he was not going to let his baby girl leave.”

Police said Gentry used his shoulder to ram into one officer. The same officer then tried to arrest Gentry, who began resisting and freed himself enough to throw his right elbow back into the officer's face, police said.

“Gentry fought with officers to the ground, refusing to place his hands behind his back,” police said.

Police noted there was damage to the officer's gun holster after he fell from the blow, and the officer suffered a minor thumb injury in the altercation.

A preliminary hearing for the case has been scheduled Aug. 5 before O'Donnell.