An Everett man faces felony aggravated assault charges for allegedly abusing three children.

Dakota Franklin Bussard, 27, was arraigned Thursday before Magisterial District Judge Kathy Calhoun on two felony charges of aggravated assault of a victim less than 6 and three felony counts of endangering the welfare of children, as well as three misdemeanor counts each of simple assault and endangering the welfare of children and one misdemeanor count of furnishing authorities with false information.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, state police conducted a welfare check on three minor children at a West Fourth Street, Everett, residence on Dec. 17, 2021, the day after one of the children suffered a broken leg and shortly after another child suffered a broken arm. All three children suffered bruises.

During an interview, Bussard denied that the children were abused and told police he was in Walmart when one of the children fell out of a car with her leg tangled in a diaper bag. His girlfriend, Daisy Marie Maust, provided a similar account, police said.

On Feb. 10, Everett police conducted an investigation into Bussard, who allegedly had covered the mouth of one of the toddlers, bruising the child’s ribs.

During this investigation, Maust said Bussard covered the child’s mouth and grabbed her ribs. She also recanted and changed her earlier story about the Dec. 16, 2021, incident, stating she was in Walmart and Bussard was in the car with the children.

Asked why she didn’t report the suspected abuse, she admitted to police that she didn’t want Bussard to hurt her instead, according to court documents.

She also stated that the children told her that Bussard would hit them, and she admitted to seeing bruises on the three children, court records show.

During the interview with police, Maust said the children have been telling her about Bussard striking them since Christmas 2021. She also told police about an incident when Bussard threw a cowboy boot at a boy, striking him in the head and leaving a lump. In another instance, she said Bussard told her about burning a child’s upper thigh with a lighter.

Bussard has been arrested for several other assaults, including an 2019 aggravated assault of another small child, according to court documents. Police reported that Bussard has previously used the excuse of “blacking out” as a reason for not recalling events.

Between Dec. 16, 2021, and Feb. 10, 2022, physical abuse continued to occur, court documents state.

Unable to post cash bail of $100,000, Bussard was remanded to the Bedford County Correctional Facility.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 16 in Bedford County Central Court with Calhoun presiding.