The trial of Brian Hungler, a North Lebanon Township resident accused of severely abusing his infant child, ended abruptly when the defendant died by apparent suicide early Wednesday morning, April 24.
Hungler had been on trial over four felony charges related to injuries inflicted on his infant child, two counts each of aggravated assault and endangering welfare of children, for incidents that allegedly took place on April 1 and May 5, 2022.
The trial began this past Monday.
Hungler had been out on $25,000 bail pending the jury’s verdict.
According to a news release, District Attorney Pier Hess Graf prosecuted the case from the preliminary hearing through pre-trial motions, with senior deputy DA Amy Muller representing the DA’s office in the trial.
The DA’s office said that Muller presented evidence of Hungler’s guilt, including testimony by Lebanon County detective David Shaffer, who described multiple confessions Hungler made for causing the injuries to his newborn child. The DA’s office said that Hungler had inflicted serious injuries to the baby’s brain, ribs, and leg bones.
“Countless doctors appeared to outline the baby’s broken bones and internal brain bleeds for the jury,” the news release states.
“Lastly, a medical expert from the Hershey Medical Center’s Child Protective Team opined the injuries were caused only by an abuser. The Commonwealth rested its case-in-chief on Tuesday and prepared for closing arguments. Closing statements, deliberation, and the jury’s verdict were expected today.”
The DA’s office said that police were called to Hungler’s home early Wednesday morning for a report of a gunshot injury, and that officers subsequently located Hungler in his home with a semi-automatic handgun in his hand and a single gunshot wound to his head, “consistent with a self-inflicted injury.”
Life-saving measures were unsuccessful, and Hungler was pronounced dead at Penn State Hershey Medical Center this morning, the DA’s office said.
The DA’s office said that the Lebanon County Detective Bureau will conduct an investigation into the death in conjunction with the North Lebanon Township Police Department.
DA Hess Graf said the public can draw its own conclusions about Hungler’s guilt based on his suicide.
“In quantifying criminal behavior, abusers of infants are the lowest of the low,” said Hess Graf. “The baby suffered daily, unable to speak for himself and cry out against his attacker – his own father. To then take his own life in lieu of facing the jury’s decision is utter cowardice.”
Hess Graf said that her office will never be deterred from prosecuting and convicting child killers and child abusers.
“We will always pursue justice for victims of abuse and violence, even when their perpetrators choose suicide over accountability and facing the consequences of their own actions.”
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