East Boston Man Charged with Punching Woman, Biting Child

BOSTON, September 8, 2022—An East Boston man was charged in Chelsea District Court today with punching a woman in the face and biting a child during a September 3 attack in Revere, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

ANTHONY SCARCELLA, 32, is charged with assault, assault and battery, and assault and battery on a child causing injury.  Judge Matthew Machera revoked Scarcella’s bail on an earlier case and ordered additional bail of $1,000 on the new charges.  Machera also ordered Scarcella to be strapped with a GPS tracking unit and to stay away from the victims and the location of the attack.

Assistant District Attorney Daniel Addady said that Revere Police on Sept. 3 responded to a disturbance call on Highland Street.  The victim told police that Scarcella had punched her in the mouth and on the forearm, and that he had swung at and missed one of her children before biting the child on the hand. Officers noted that the woman’s mouth was red and her forearm was scratched. They also noted a bite mark on the child’s hand.  The woman and child were transported to Whidden Hospital for evaluation.

Police issued a warrant for Scarcella.  He was arrested this morning.  

“All violence is deplorable, but there’s an additional level of heartbreak when a child witnesses a parent being attacked and is attacked themselves, as is the case here.  We’ve come a long way in understanding the special care that child victims and witnesses require and deserve.  We will provide all the resources necessary to help this mother and child through this ordeal,” Hayden said.

Scarcella will return to court Oct. 26 for a pre-trial hearing.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.