Man faces second child abuse charge

LAS CRUCES — The 18-year-old man charged with injuring his 2-monthold son is now facing an additional charge of child abuse for allegedly breaking the twin brother’s clavicle bone, according to the Las Cruces Police Department.

Christopher Jacquez, of the 9500 block of Butterfield Boulevard, was charged Wednesday with one count of child abuse for recklessly causing great bodily harm to his 2-month-old son. Last week, he was charged with two counts of child abuse resulting in great bodily harm in an incident involving the boy’s twin brother. All three charges are first-degree felonies.

Around 2:30 p.m. Feb. 13, Las Cruces police were dispatched to a medical call involving an infant boy at a home in the 4100 block of Mojave Drive. The young boy was initially taken by ambulance to MountainView Regional Medical Center and subsequently to El Paso Children’s Hospital, police said.

Detectives learned from medical professionals that the infant was suffering from three fractured ribs and multiple subdural hemorrhages, police said. The injuries appeared to have occurred at different times, police said.

When questioning the boy’s parents, police said, detectives learned that the boy’s injuries had allegedly occurred at the hands of Jacquez, who indicated he violently shook the infant on at least two separate occasions.