Pine Hill man faces child abuse
charges

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Helen Davis
Cibola County Bureau

RAMAH — The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced late last week the arrest of a man charged with assault resulting in serious physical injury in a case involving a 9-month-old child.

Representatives of the Ramah Navajo Police Department, the Ramah Navajo Department of Criminal Investigation and the FBI arrested Eric Begay of Pine Hill last Wednesday as a result of a joint investigation into injuries sustained by the child.

According to information provided by the FBI, Ramah Navajo Police and the Navajo Department of Social Services received a complaint on Tuesday, Dec. 2, after Begay’s 9-month-old daughter was seen at the Ramah Clinic. The infant was taken to the clinic by her parents.

After being seen at the clinic, the child was transferred to the Gallup Indian Medical Center and then to the University of New Mexico Hospital.

Medical personnel found that the child had suffered untreated injuries, some extending back as far as three months. Injuries found included fractures to both arms, both legs, ribs and skull. The baby was also suffering from a ruptured left eye.

Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the parents’ home in Pine Hill and subsequently arrested Begay at the UNM hospital.

The child is in the custody of the Navajo Social Services. No additional information is available at this time.