A Cranberry Township man is facing a lawsuit after a family claimed he participated in the abuse of a physically and developmentally disabled individual at a New Brighton care facility.

Tyler James Smith, 29, was named as a defendant in one of four lawsuits filed Nov. 22 against McGuire Memorial, an intermediate care facility for people with severe intellectual and physical disabilities.

The plaintiff claims Smith committed assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress against a minor, identified in the civil complaint only as IY.

Smith was charged in July by Beaver County authorities with endangering the welfare of children, assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Rob Peirce, an attorney representing one of the four families involved in the lawsuit, said Smith's behavior at the facility was part of a larger trend.

Another employee, Lee Dinell, reportedly had cell phone video of Smith assaulting IY. The 26-year-old Aliquippa man faces more serious charges, including the abuse of 17 individuals under his care. He also stands accused of causing the wrongful death of a male patient at McGuire Memorial and the raping and photographing of an unconscious woman at his home.

According to its website, McGuire Memorial is a ministry of the Felician Sisters of North America, Our Lady of Hope Province and the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The facility provides comprehensive services to people with intellectual and physical disabilities, including complex medical conditions; offers supportive services to families and caregivers; and provides specialized services to individuals on the autism spectrum.

This is an excerpt from a much larger article that appeared in Tuesday's Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full charges for the people involved and what the company had to say about the incident.