Clovis man accused of slapping child

CLOVIS — A Clovis man was jailed Thursday night on accusations he hit a 6-year-old child in the face at a local restaurant.

Bruce Bender, 63, of Clovis, was booked into the Curry County Adult Detention Center on charges of abuse of a child, disorderly conduct and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer. He remained there Friday night on a $5,000 cash-only bond, reduced from $11,500 following his arraignment Friday afternoon.

According to a criminal complaint filed Friday in magistrate court, the incident happened at Leal’s Mexican Restaurant on Prince Street.

The child was eating with Bender and his mother, Dorothy Miller.

Miller, reached Friday by the Eastern New Mexico News, said the incident was blown out of proportion.

Bender “thumped” the boy on the head because he was being rambunctious, she said.

“He didn’t have a mark, he didn’t have a bump. The child was not crying. They overkilled the whole thing,” Miller said.

The investigating police officer noted redness on the left side of the child’s face and forehead, and photographed his face, according to the report. Paramedics checked him out and left after determining no other medical attention was needed.

Bender told police the child was acting up throughout the day and was sitting on his knees in the restaurant chair.

Bender said he asked the boy to sit correctly, and the child kicked the table while repositioning himself. Bender said the chain of events frustrated him, and he reacted by hitting the child and leaving, according to the report.