ROCKLAND – A mother and her live-in boyfriend were arrested Thursday after X-rays showed the woman’s 10-month-old boy had suffered two broken arms, a broken left leg, a black eye and bruising on his arms, legs and chest.

A doctor became suspicious during a routine exam last month when she noticed a large bruise on the infant’s face and his low body weight. She ordered the X-rays, and authorities began investigating.

The baby had bruises that were in various stages of healing, said police Detective Christopher Young.

The boy’s mother, Tracy Abel, 30, and her boyfriend, Mark L. Harding, 31, both of Rockland, were arrested Thursday and booked at Knox County Jail. She was charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Harding was charged with assault to a child. Both charges are Class C felonies.

Harding was being held on $40,000 single-surety or $8,000 cash bail, according to Young, and Abel on $20,000 single-surety or $4,000 cash bail. Both were still being held at the jail late Thursday.

Abel has a 3-year-old son, but there are no charges involving him, Young said.

On Feb. 25, a pediatrician was examining the baby during a routine visit when she became suspicious and ordered X-rays.

The state Department of Health and Human Services and police were contacted and an investigation began.

The baby initially was taken to Penobscot Bay Medical Center in Rockport. From that point, both of Abel’s sons have been in DHHS custody, Young said.

According to a police affidavit, X-rays were done at Pen Bay. In addition, a bone scan was performed by a private clinic and reviewed by a radiologist from Maine Medical Center in Portland. It concluded that old fractures on both forearms occurred when the baby was no older than 3 months. The more recent leg fracture “is on the outer part of the bone and goes all the way through the bone,” said the affidavit filed in 6th District Court.

Abel and Harding were living together in the Coughlin Park apartments.

During the investigation by Young, Sgt. James Pease and Investigator Russell Thompson, all of the Rockland Police Department, the officers learned that a neighbor had witnessed Harding spank the baby.

According to the affidavit, Harding apparently wanted the baby to go to bed after Abel brought the boy into the couple’s living room. Harding “yanked [the baby] up off the floor by one arm and while [the baby] was hanging in midair went ‘wham … wham … wham,'” spanking the baby three times, a neighbor told police.

The 6-foot-1-inch, 180-pound Harding then turned the baby so that he was facing him and said, “[You are] going to [expletive] bed.” The baby was struck hard enough to move his body each time, according to the witness. Harding then put the baby to bed. The mother did not say a word, the witness told police.

“It’s the one time that I swear if I could have I would have just killed him,” the witness told police.

On another occasion, a hysterical Harding called the neighbor to come to the apartment.

Harding was holding the baby very close, repeatedly saying, “I’m sorry,” according to the affidavit.

The infant had a bruise that covered three-quarters of his forehead and he began spitting up blood, according to the affidavit.

Harding told the neighbor the baby must have fallen out of a crib.

Abel was called home from work and the couple wanted to wait for Harding’s uncle to take the baby to the hospital.

The neighbor told investigators she made the couple call 911.

When they returned home from the hospital that day – the same day as a Christmas party at the Samoset Resort in Rockport – the neighbor offered to take Abel’s older son to the event. To the neighbor’s surprise, Abel took the older boy to the party and left the 10-month-old home with Harding, according to the affidavit.

The neighbor thought the baby was having a difficult time moving his neck and suggested Abel take him back to the hospital, but she went to the party instead, according to the affidavit.