A Bloomfield man has been charged with one count of child abuse following an alleged domestic disturbance involving a child, according to a criminal complaint and statement of probable cause filed in Aztec Magistrate Court.

Alexander Martin, 37, is charged with one count of abuse of a child (does not result in death or great bodily harm), a third-degree felony. All charges are allegations based on court records, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

According to the statement of probable cause, Bloomfield police officers responded to a residence on Peach Street at approximately 3:07 p.m. July 27 after receiving a report of a domestic disturbance.

According to court records, officers first spoke with a 16-year-old family member, who reported witnessing Martin allegedly strike a younger child multiple times. The witness told officers he observed visible injuries, including a black eye and a cut to the child’s forehead, before leaving the residence to seek help from a neighbor, who contacted law enforcement.

Officers later interviewed the child identified in court records as the alleged victim, according to the affidavit. The child admitted taking money from Martin and told officers Martin allegedly struck him repeatedly, choked him using the inside of his elbow and punched him several times in the lower back. Officers reported observing bruising, abrasions and marks on the child’s body and photographed the reported injuries.

According to the affidavit, officers wrote that two additional children at the residence initially appeared reluctant to speak while Martin remained nearby but became more forthcoming after officers separated them from him. The children allegedly told investigators they did not feel safe in the home and reported seeing Martin strike the alleged victim multiple times.

One child also told investigators that during an earlier incident Martin allegedly threw a combination lock toward a television after catching the children watching television when they were not supposed to. According to the affidavit, the lock bounced off the television and struck the child in the head. The child told investigators it was not intentionally thrown at her.

Martin told investigators the children had been fighting throughout the week and denied physically assaulting them, according to the affidavit. Court records state he told officers the only physical discipline he used was spanking the children and maintained that the reported injuries resulted from the children fighting with one another rather than from any actions by him.

According to the probable cause statement, officers wrote they determined probable cause existed after observing injuries and considering what the affidavit describes as four independent and consistent statements from the children.

Charges Filed

• One count of abuse of a child (does not result in death or great bodily harm), a third-degree felony.

Case Status

Martin was arrested July 27, according to court records. Court records reviewed by San Juan Pulse did not indicate whether he had retained legal counsel or entered a plea.

Source

According to a criminal complaint and statement of probable cause filed in Aztec Magistrate Court by the Bloomfield Police Department.

Legal Disclaimer

All charges are allegations based on court records, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.