Las Cruces Man Charged With Child Abuse After Alleged Abuse With Fly Swatter

Dona Ana Sheriff’s Investigators arrested and charged a Las Cruces man with child abuse after he allegedly hit a girl with a sly swatter.

Eddie Rey Escalante, 23, of the 5300 block of La Reina, was arrested on Aug. 1 after sheriff’s deputies were called to his residence in reference to a possible abused child.

According to Sheriff’s Investigator Carlos Montoya, Sheriff’s Deputies, after being called to Escalante’s residence by an anonymous caller, discovered the victim, female, age 3, suffering from blisters on her buttocks.

The child was left in the care of Escalante, while the child’s mother and Escalante’s wife were away.

Escalante allegedly swatted the child with a fly swatter, leaving tangible visible impressions on the child’s buttocks, matching the pattern of the fly swatter.

Escalante was charged by Sheriff’s Investigator Carlos Montoya with one third degree count of Child Abuse – Intentional (No Death or Great Bodily Harm).

Besides the felony charge of child abuse, Escalante had two outstanding warrants for his arrest for Failure to Appear.

Escalante was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center.