FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — A man has been charged after allegedly beating three children in Marion County.

On Nov. 5, officers with the Fairmont Police Department were called to respond to UHC in Bridgeport about three juveniles who “had been beaten” and transported to UHC, according to a criminal complaint.

When officers arrived, they spoke with medical staff who stated that all of the juvenile victims “had sustained a hematoma” … “on their heads and faces,” and “pressure wounds on their buttocks indicating the juveniles were forced to be in a certain position for an unnecessary period of time,” officers said.

Officers also noted that a 3-year-old victim “had also been struck severely in the head resulting in the white of his eyes to pool blood,” and that “it was apparent the children had been severely beaten/abused” due to the “multitude of bruises on their faces, arms, backs, legs and chests,” according to the complaint.

UHC staff and EMS workers who transported the children stated that the 6-year-old and 4-year-old victims disclosed that Michael Stemple, 50, was “the individual who had caused the injuries,” officers said.

A woman told officers that Stemple had been watching the children, and that the children had lived in the same home as Stemple “approximately 2 months” before the incident was reported, and that she had “discovered Stemple “was hitting the children two weeks prior” to the incident, according to the complaint.

The woman stated that she had spoken with Stemple “about hitting the children,” and when she saw the children on the date of the incident, Stemple told her “if she called the police about the injured juveniles, that he would kill the children and beat/kill her,” officers said.

Stemple has been charged with child abuse resulting in injury. He is being held in North Central Regional Jail.