A Tamaqua man was committed to Schuylkill County Prison on charges he struck his mother in the head with a wooden food tray.

Tamaqua police charged the man, Matthew Kern, 32, with simple assault and harassment following the 5:23 a.m. Feb. 25 incident.

According to police, officers were called to a Lafayette Street apartment for a domestic dispute. The caller told police that blood was all over the floor.

Police said they arrived to find the woman bleeding from the left side of her face and neck. She said that Kern was upset that he could not find his wallet and accused of her of taking it. She said he picked up a small ceramic statue and threw it at a wall, causing it to smash.

According to police, the woman said Kern then picked up a wooden food tray and stuck her in the head with it several times. He then went to his room, she said.

Police took Kern into custody. He told officers that he was arguing with his family over the missing wallet and struck his mother because he was upset.

The woman was taken by ambulance to St. Luke’s-Miners for evaluation.

Kern was arraigned before Tamaqua Magisterial District Judge Stephen Bayer, who set percentage bail at $5,000.