Police: Father injured six-year-old daughter with hard slaps

Las Cruces police officers arrested a Las Cruces man suspected of striking his six-year-old daughter hard enough to leave bruises on her face.

Juan Gutierrez, 33, of the 5900 block of Norte Vista Drive, is charged with two counts of intentional child abuse.

On June 20, 2017, Gutierrez’s daughter was spending the night at his residence.

Investigators learned the girl was speaking with her step-mother, Gutierrez’s wife, when the child learned she would not be traveling with them on a family trip.

Gutierrez told police he did not like his daughter’s response so he slapped her face twice, once on each side, as punishment.

The next day the girl’s face was red, swollen and had noticeable hand prints, police said.

The girl’s mother called police when she met Gutierrez to exchange custody. Investigators learned the girl had neck pain as a result of the alleged abuse.

Gutierrez was arrested June 29 and released on bond from the Dona Ana County Detention Center the following day.