Parents, grandparent charged with abuse

CLOVIS - A 2-month-old Clovis baby has suffered multiple bone fractures and the boy's parents and a grandparent have been charged with abandonment or abuse of a child.

Charges were filed Wednesday against the child's mother, Lachel Johnston, father, William Teague, and grandmother, Jessica Barnett, court records show.

All three suspects are in the Curry County Adult Detention Center. All three appeared via video for a Friday arraignment at Curry County Magistrate Court. Each requested a public defender, and all three are scheduled to be in magistrate court again at 9 a.m. July 30.

Medical records show the child has suffered six rib fractures in different stages of healing and a fracture of the left tibia, or shinbone, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday.

He has been released from the hospital and placed with Child Protective Services, according to Clovis Police Lt. Trevor Thron.

The complaint shows police were called to Plains Regional Medical Center on July 1 for a report of suspected child abuse. The baby had bruising on the right side of his head. The child's father said he called 911 because the child was found with dried blood near the corner on the right side of his mouth and nose.

Further examination showed "swelling above and around and in (the) front of his right ear," the court record shows. Multiple scratches were also observed and hospital staff told police the child had been at the emergency room a month earlier "because Lachel was cutting his finger nails and accidentally cut his finger and the nail."

The parents told police the boy may have caused the bruises himself because he would "head butt them" when they would hold him.

Johnston said the child weighed 11.4 pounds at one time, but hospital officials said he weighted 8 pounds on July 1.

Relatives of the accused who attended the Friday arraignment declined comment.