HUGHESVILLE – A 23-year-old man along with his mother and his girlfriend have been locked up on charges that stem from a 3-year-old girl being physically and sexually abused during a two-week period in Wolf Township, according to state Trooper Jeffrey Vilello.

While Ryan Joseph Brown has been charged with allegedly assaulting and raping the girl, his 53-year-old mother, Theresa Marie Brown, and his 26-year-old girlfriend, Deanna Marie Morrill, each face one count of endangering the welfare of a child because they both neglected to notify authorities when they learned of the alleged abuse, Vilello said in court papers.

The girl was abused during the first two weeks in November, and at that time Ryan Brown and Morrill were living with his mother at her mobile home at 22 Michael Ave., Vilello said.

While Morrill, now living at 91 O’Dell Road in Muncy, and Theresa Brown allegedly failed to take action to protect and help the child, another family member came forward on Nov. 13 and alerted the county’s Department of Children and Youth when he saw injuries on the child’s body, Vilello said.

The department immediately began an investigation that resulted in the girl first being treated at Muncy Valley Hospital and then transferred to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville the very afternoon after it became evident that the victim had been sexually as well as physically abused, Vilello said.

“There were large human adult bite marks and bruises on the girl’s face, back and other parts of her body,” Vilello said in an affidavit.

Four days later, during an interview with a counselor from the Child Advocacy Center in Northumberland County, the girl reported how Ryan Brown allegedly had abused her, Vilello said.

She also shared the trauma she endured with a licensed clinical social worker during a series of play therapy sessions between late December and early February, Vilello said.

Investigators allege that Ryan Brown “did hit the victim in the face, back and other parts of the body, causing large bruises,” Vilello said. On at least one occasion, Brown “slammed the child on the ground while he was trying to change her diaper,” the trooper added.

Brown, who already is on probation for simple assault and whose listed address is Lancaster, admitted during his arraignment Monday before District Judge Jon E. Kemp that he was addicted to alcohol and drugs. He has been charged with rape, aggravated assault, aggravated indecent assault, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, indecent assault and endangering the welfare of a child. He was committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $500,000 bail.

His mother and girlfriend also were arraigned and incarcerated in lieu of $150,000 bail each.