Father pleads innocent to abuse charge

An 18-year-old father accused of abusing his infant son pleaded not guilty to the charge Tuesday morning.

Stephen Morey of Los Lunas was recently indicted on one count of abuse of a child resulting in great bodily harm and one count of aggravated battery resulting in great bodily harm. District Court Judge William Sanchez ordered Morey to be held without bond in the Valencia County Adult Detention Center.

Morey was arrested early last month after police said his son, Isaiah, sustained injuries at the hands of his father.

Valencia County Sheriff’s Detective Sergeant James Purdy said the baby was taken to an Albuquerque hospital with brain damage, a fractured rib, a detached retina and several bite marks on his body.

“We believe this is a case of shaken-baby syndrome,” Purdy said days after the incident.